


The Festival of Nauna

by NightRoseBud



Category: Tales of Arcadia (Cartoons)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-24
Updated: 2019-11-10
Packaged: 2020-10-27 04:22:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 32,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20754269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NightRoseBud/pseuds/NightRoseBud
Summary: Barbara is invited to a troll festival with her son's friends but finds herself being put into an uncomfortable spot because of NotEnrique. Wouldn't be the Trollhunters without a human being thrown into magical hijinks.





	1. Chapter 1

Barbara locked her car and made her way to the cafe with a spring in her step. The last shift at the hospital had been insane; several broken bones, one car accident, one man who had poisoned himself by accidentally thinking the rat poison was sugar. Even a naked man had been able to wander into an operating room unsupervised and had to be tackled by several nurses to be removed. But as crazy as it had been, she was free of the hospital! True, she would soon be taking care of dozen of babies, getting them ready to be adopted, but at least when one of them put a toy up their nose, it was because they were a baby and not because they were high on drugs or an idiot. She didn't know when her leave from the hospital would end, and she was oddly okay with that.

It was two weeks since the Battle of the Eternal Night had happened, and even now, there were still signs that Arcadia had been a war zone where magical creatures fought. Downtown was mostly back to normal except for a few buildings still needing paint. Her favorite cafe had almost been untouched by wandering Gumm-Gumm trolls, however, and she was happy to be meeting Walt there for dinner. He had been distant the last few weeks, trying to track down surviving changelings and helping her get ready to foster the former familiars and find them homes. He had already promised to help her in any way he could in raising them, and she was thankful for the support. But if she was honest with herself, she had missed Walt himself. As she crossed the street, she was glad to see that the green changeling was already inside the cafe. He had been withdrawn the last few weeks, but he had always made a point of being there when she asked him to be, and she couldn't think of anyone else she wanted to celebrate her freedom from the hospital with than him, other than Jim of course.

As she entered the cafe, she was able to get a better look at Walt. He was reclining at a larger table with a paperback novel opened in one hand, and the other arm draped over the back of the chair. She couldn't recall seeing him in such a relaxed state. She swore he even had a slight smile on his face, although his troll face was a little harder to read than his human one had been. Some of the other patrons were watching him openly with curiosity. Why wouldn't they? He was a 7-foot, stone-skinned green troll with a collar of knives around his neck and a leather loincloth. But no one was giving him any hostile stares, and she doubted he would be so relaxed if he sensed if the humans around him didn't want him there. 

His nose appeared to twitch, and he looked up and noticed her for the first time. He got up from his chair and pulled a chair out for her to sit next to him. "Barbara, how does liberty feel?" She smiled at the question and sat down on the offered chair and allowed herself to be pushed in. He may not be human, but he certainly could still be the gentleman that he always had been. "It feels wonderful. I hope you didn't have to wait long? My last case took a little longer than I thought it would."

"Quite alright. I was just catching up on some reading." He led a hand on the book on the table, the latest murder mystery from one of Barbara's favorite authors. "Thank you for the recommendation. I am enjoying it so far."

"So, ready to start being a babysitter tomorrow?" she joked as the waiter placed a glass of water in front of her. She was taking a sip from it when she saw Walt look away from her. The smile was gone, his ears had dropped slightly, and his brows seem to be furrowed. So maybe she was better at reading his troll face than she thought. "Walt," she worriedly asked, "what is it?"

"Barbara, I'm sorry, but I may have to ask you to delay our plans for a few days. Something has come up."

"Of course, Walt, we can wait if you need to do some– wait, is this about Jim?"

"No, no. Nothing serious. Blinkous has asked for my assistance in something taking place this Saturday. I have to travel out of the country."

"Out of the country? What about finding the Heartstone?"

Before Walt could explain, Barbara heard a commotion at the back of the restaurant. She turned to see Aaarrrgghh!! coming through the back entrance. It was the only way he could make it into the building, considering the double doors were available. Even then, the grey hulking troll had to walk in sideways to make his way to their table. He ended up bumping some of the tables along the way, but none of the patrons of the restaurant seemed to mind. Or, if they did care, they didn't complain to the giant creature making his way to the front of the restaurant. Barbara smiled at her son's friend as he made his way through the crowd, but she wondered why he was here. She had only asked Walt to meet her for dinner and been looking forward to just the two of them. 

Was Walt avoiding being alone with her?

When Aaarrrgghh!! made it to their table, the waiter appeared to take his order. The young man only looked a few years older than Jim, black hair just a little longer and being a little taller than her son. He also wore what Barbara could only describe as goth clothes, and she was suddenly glad Jim had never gone through that phase, although it seemed to fit the teen in front of her so well. "Coffee," rumbled the giant troll, and their waiter nodded and disappeared to get it. Aaarrrgghh!! looked at Walt and asked, "Did you tell her?" 

"I was just about to," replied Walt. "There is a festival happening this weekend, " Walt explained, turning to Barbara. "It would have been held at Trollmarket, but the Mountain trolls of Scandinavia have agreed to host it, given everything that happened with Gunmar. Blinkous has asked Aaarrrgghh!! and I to be there as security. All of the surviving changelings in fact. He hopes that it will serve as a chance for changelings to be accepted by trollkind." Walt snorted and took a sip of his coffee. Although calling the drink coffee was being generous, it was just coffee grinds mixed with hot water and soured milk. "I doubt one alcohol-filled gathering will have the trolls welcoming my kind with open arms, but I have to give the windbag credit for being optimistic."

"Blinky is trying." was Aaarrrgghh's response, as the waiter placed a pitcher of "coffee" in front of him.

"What will everyone be having this evening?" the teen asked, grabbing his pad of paper.

"Steak for me, medium rare," Barbara replied.

"Steak, bloody raw," was Walt's answer.

"Used kitchen rags," rumbled Aaarrrgghh!! with a smile.

If anything in their order was off, the young man didn't show it and walked to the kitchen to drop off their order.

"Sounds like something important if Blinky has to stop looking for the Heartstone. So, are the kids invited to this festival?" asked Barbara.

"No," both trolls responded, Aaarrrgghh!! looking slightly uncomfortable and Walt looking neutral. "Am _I_ invited?" asked Barbara with a smile. She was met with an instant "Yes" and smile from the massive troll and "No!" and frown from the changeling. Walt then cleared his throat and looked away, seeming to realize how harsh his tone was. "You are welcomed to travel with Aaarrrgghh!! if you want to Barbara, but I will be leaving tonight," he explained.

"I don't understand," Barbara replied. "Why would I be invited and not the kids?"

"It's... complicated. It's best if you stay home Barbara, but I can't stop you if you want to attend." Walt explained, looking uncomfortable.

"Well... I will just think about it and let you guys know." Barbara was not sure why Walt was secretive about this festival, but she wouldn't pry. Walt nodded and seemed happy with her answer. 

The rest of the dinner was full of small talk. Aaarrrgghh!! was asked how he would get rid of Toby ("Told Wingman I had secret mission," explained the hulking troll), Barabara was asked what she would do with her few days of free time ("Paint, I guess."), and other neutral topics (What was summer school and was Aaarrrgghh!! allowed to eat the textbooks, which earned a loud no from both former teacher and doctor). Dinner arrived at some point, and Barbara tried hard not to judge her companions as they ate, but silently told herself to make sure she had some real food if she attended the festival.

Walt picked up the tab and insisted on paying. Barbara knew he had been able to tap into the Janus Order's vast fortune, which would help them give the familiars a good upbringing while they waited to find them new homes. Walt had even used the Order's resources to create false birth certificates and start a college fund for each baby. He wouldn't tell her how much money there was, only that it was enough for several lifetimes. Judging by the happy look on the teen's face when Walt signed the tip line, the green changeling was spreading the wealth around the little bit.

Once they finished dinner, they made their way to the back of the restaurant. Barbara turned to Walt. "Would you like to come over for a nightcap, Walt?"

"No, I really must be going." His collar of knives and cape disappeared in a flash of green as he secured the credit card in the folds of his loincloth, and his wings appeared. "I need to stop off at my apartment before I leave."

"You know Walt, my offer still stands. You can move into my den if you need to."

"No need." He glanced at her but quickly looked away before she could make eye contact. "I wouldn't want to impose. I will always be able to come to help you if needed. You don't have to endure me always being underfoot."

Before Barbara could respond that it was no trouble at all, Walt was walking away and waving to both her and Aaarrrgghh!! "G-good night!" was all she could stammer as he started to fly away. "Be safe!" she yelled, hoping he could still hear her. She sighed. He didn't even say good-bye or kiss her hand. So lost in her anxious thoughts, she had almost forgotten about Aaarrrgghh!! until she felt him put a hand gently on her shoulder. 

He hummed in a worried tone and gave her a small smile as she turned to face him. "Give him time," he said in a low rumble. "Hard to trust after being with Gumm-Gumms."

"I just wish I knew where I stood with him, Aaarrrgghh!!," she explained.

"Stood?" He asked. The grey troll looked down at the street and back at her. "On street?"

Barbara laughed. "No, I mean, I wish I knew how he felt about me."

"Hmmm, he's tricky. Had to be. For a long time."

"And I can't expect him to change in two weeks," she replied.

He smiled and nodded and then started to make his way back to their neighborhood. Barbara stayed where she was for a little bit, staring at the spot in the sky where Walt had disappeared. She was so lost in thought that she barely noticed that their waiter had joined her on the sidewalk, no longer wearing his apron.

"A festival, huh?" he asked, breaking her out of her thoughts. She noticed for the first time that he seemed to have a slight British accent, although that could be fake. "Sounds like fun. I would go if I were you."

"You know what, I think you are right," she replied. The teen smiled and starting walking down the street. _What a weird young man,_she thought to herself.

"Hey, Aaarrrgghh!!?" she called to the grey troll who was almost a block away. He turned back to her. "Want to come over and eat the burnt meatloaf I made last night?"

His broad smile was all the answer she needed.

* * *

The next day Barbara woke up late in the morning. She stretched and then burrowed into the sheets enjoying the feeling of being lazy. She couldn't remember a day where she didn't need to jump out of bed immediately to make it to the hospital. She stayed there for an hour until the sound of silence got to be a little too much. She was still getting familiar with an empty house. She was going to have to find a way to occupy herself, or she was going to find herself going mad before Saturday.

She padded to the kitchen, throwing a frozen breakfast burrito into her new microwave. That is if she was even going to the festival. Walt seemed so uncomfortable with her going. Should she stay here? Barbara was so unsure.

She finished her unhealthy brunch (Maybe she could try cooking this week?) and then changed into her painting clothes. She made her way down to the basement. There was a large, blank canvas waiting for her. It wasn't as big as _Goodbye Walt,_ but it was oversized. She had turned that particular painting so that it was facing the basement wall. Maybe it was best that Walt was not staying at her house. If he found his unfaltering portrait, she didn't know how he would react.

Barbara sighed. And now her thoughts had gone back to Walt. She chewed at the handle of one of her paintbrushes. She felt like she was in high school again, trying to figure out if someone liked her or not. He loves me, he loves me not...

_For without you, there is no world._

That didn't sound like something someone who didn't love her would say.

She took out her cell phone and opened a text message:

"Did you have a nice trip?" she texted to Walt.

She continued to nibble on her paintbrush as she stared at the blank canvas and waited for his response. What would she paint? A memory came to her then:_ They were above the clouds after crashing through the skylight of the museum. It was terrifying and exhilarating at the same time, and so beautiful too, the clouds looking like a fluffy white carpet even after she put her glasses back on. "Walt, you can fly?" she cried. "Yes, and I am a keen swimmer too," he replied, never one to pass up a corny joke. _

She smiled and started to sketch out a night scene on the canvas, with thunder clouds building on the left-hand side. She was mixing her colors to start when her phone chirped.

Walt replied:  
"Uneventful. I wish I did not let Blinkous talk me into playing chaperone this week, though."

"What's the matter, Walt? I would have thought being a high school teacher would make you the best one for crowd control."

Walt's response was almost immediate:  
"I would take hormonal teenagers over lascivious, drunk stone-flesh creatures any day."

Lascivious? Why would Walt use that word to describe the other trolls?

"Well, good luck." Barbara texted with a smile. "Make sure you don't get trampled before Saturday."

She had been putting down large areas of colors for a few hours when she got his reply:

Walt:  
"So you will be coming on Saturday?" he asked.

She suddenly felt uneasy again. He seemed to be telling her not to go but without saying the words.

"I would like to unless you think I shouldn't."

She went back to her canvas, glancing at her phone every few minutes, but he didn't reply.

It was finally getting dark when she stopped painting, taking a step back to take it all in. It was a calm and peaceful starry night on the right side with dark thunder clouds covering the left, with flashes of purple lightning. Maybe not realistic, but then she had always been a little abstract in her paintings. Her stomach growled, and she decided that it was time to break for the night.

She was making her way up the stairs when she heard something thumping in her kitchen. Suddenly the empty house seemed terrifying. She grabbed the broom and cautiously opened the basement door. From what she could see of the kitchen, it was a mess, with doors and drawers opened everywhere. While she was watching a pan fell out of the cabinet and rolled noisily across the floor. How did someone get inside her house? And why were they in the kitchen making a mess?

She threw open the door, hoping the noise would scare whoever it was. "Whoever you are," she shouted, "I know Krav Maga! And the largest troll in Arcadia!"

For several seconds nothing moved, and Barbara started feeling silly standing there with the broom held in front of her like a shield until a green head with large, yellow, bulbous eyes popped out of a lower cabinet. "Hullo Doctor L!" it shouted, startling her and making her cry out. She immediately swung the broom, hitting the door and causing it to shut, making the little creature to yelp in surprise. She panted for a little bit until she could process what she had just seen. "NotEnrique? What the hell are you doing in my house?" she shouted when she had calmed down a bit.

"Holy shish kabobs, Doc, is that any way to treat a guest?" came the muffled reply. He slowly opened the cabinet door again, peering at her with flattened ears and scared eyes. She felt a little guilty for her reaction until she remembered why she had the broom in the first place. "Well, generally, guests are people that I invited over NotEnrique. And not someone I find rummaging in my kitchen unwelcome," she replied, keeping the broom pointed at him and placing one hand on her hip.

He nervously chuckled as he climbed out onto the counter and rubbed the back of his head. She dropped the broom, so that it was pointing at the floor and not him, but kept a frown on her face. "I was feeling a bit peckish, Doctor, that's all. I wanted to see if ya had anything I could snack on while I waited. Didn't think ya would want me to go down the basement while you were working." She sighed and went to the recycle bin and gabbed two beer bottles for him. His ears perked up, and he licked his lips at the sight of them. She started to clean up the kitchen while he crunched on the glass. "How did you get in here anyway?" she asked when he was done.

"A word to the wise Doc, if you use a hide-a-key, use real stone. We trolls can spot a fake a mile away," he replied, licking his fingers like the beer bottles had been ice cream instead of glass. 

"And why are you here in the first place?" she asked, placing the last pot away and leaning against the sink, folding her arms. From what she had heard from the kids and Walt, NotEnrique was not evil, but also did not do anything unless it benefited him. She should not trust him as far as she could throw him, but she would let him explain himself.

"Well, I heard a rumor that you would be attending the little shindig on Saturday. As part of the party committee, I wanted to extend a formal invite, see if there was anything I could do for ya."

That was actually kind of him to ask. But Barbara remembered her conversation with Walt and shook her head. "I may not even be going at this point. Walt seems to want me to stay home."

"Aw, don't let the Bossman scare ya. He's probably just worried you might be stomped in such a large crowd."

"Is that why the kids aren't invited?" asked Barbara.

"Something like that," replied NotEnrique, chuckling to himself. "Tell ya what Doc. I will get ya into the VIP section. Only 'bout six trolls in there right now. All lovely ones too. You would be treated like a princess! No need to worry about getting crushed in a crowd."

Barbara gave him a sideways look, not quite believing his too-good-to-be-true offer. "What's the catch?"

"No catch, no catch! You do have to sign a paper, though. Just a list of rules ta follow. No fighting, no contraband, that kind of thing." He saw the hesitation on her face and smiled at her. "Look Doc; this thing only happens every ten years. You should go! Have fun! Get to know some troll customs! Hate for ya to miss it."

Barbara looked at the little green troll and wondered what she should do. He leered back at her, probably trying to look innocent and not succeeding very well. She did want to go, and if she could go and make sure she was safe, then maybe Walt would be ok with her being there. "Alright," she replied, "I accept."

"Great, Doc! Just follow me!" He jumped across the kitchen to reach into a high cabinet and grabbed a small bowl. He scrambled into the dining room, leaving the cabinet door open. She sighed and closed it, and then followed him. On the table was a rolled-up parchment, almost as wide as the table itself. He unrolled it, using the bowl to weigh it down so it wouldn't curl back up again. He then grabbed a small jar and uncorked it. He poured a black liquid into the bowl. Barbara looked at the paper in fascination. There were runes she didn't recognize with a circular symbol at the top. At the bottom were six handprints, the fact that they only had three fingers and a thumb telling Barbara that they were, in fact, from trolls. One of them was smaller than Barbara's hand, but the rest were huge compared to hers. NotEnrigue gestured to a blank spot on the page. "Just need a handprint Doc."

She looked at the strange setup and felt a moment of hesitation. She glared at NotEnrique again, "No catch?"

"No catch Doc," he replied, but she didn't notice that he had his fingers crossed behind his back.

She carefully dipped her palm into the black liquid (Was it ink?) and placed her hand onto the page. She was slightly shocked to see both the handprint on the page and the ink on her palm glow blue. She went back to the sink in the kitchen to wash it off before it stained her skin. As the water washed it down the drain, however, she was amazed to see the ink move on her skin until it made the same circular symbol that was on top of the paper she had just "signed." NotEnrique poured the remaining liquid back into the jar and was rolling the parchment back up when Barbara realized that the symbol was not washing off. "Well, Doc, I shall see ya Saturday. Ask for Bagdwella, and she will take care of ya."

He quickly made his way to the back door with the parchment under one arm, only stopping when she shouted. "Hey! What is this mark?"

"Oh, that? That is just a stamp like with a night club. Let people know you are one of the VIPs. Got to run Doc, things to do, trolls to see, you know how it is!" And with that, he was running out the door slamming it shut, and when Barbara ran after him and opened it again, he was climbing over the fence cackling to himself.

"Well, that was ominous," Barbara murmured to herself. She had a bad feeling that listening to NotEnrique was the worst thing she could have done. Her stomach growled then, reminding her that she had not eaten since that morning. As she grabbed the phone to order pizza, she looked at her hand and wondered what she had gotten herself into. She debated texting Walt and seeing what he thought of the smaller changeling's behavior.

_Maybe tomorrow._ Yes, no need to worry him. Barbara was sure NotEnrique wouldn't do anything to harm her.

Mostly.

* * *

The next day Barbara spent her time almost exactly like the day before: She woke up later in the morning, painting for most of the day and calling for delivery later in the evening once her stomach's rumbling broke her concentration while painting. The only difference with the previous day was that she must have picked up her phone over a dozen times, thinking she would finally text Walt about her uninvented visitor and the resulting mark on her hand. But every time she opened the message window she couldn't decide what in the world she would send him.

_Hey, NotEnrique dropped by and had me sign this paper. He said it would keep me safe during the festival, but he left kind of quickly, and now I have this mark on my hand, and I think it may be a magic mark because nothing is getting it off of my skin, and it's kind of worrying me, and should I be concerned?_

Yeah, that would go over really well.

Once she sat down in the living room with her Chinese take out and one of her favorite romantic comedies on the TV, she picked up her phone for the fifteenth time that day and tried to think of what in the world she would text him. She looked at the mark again, trying to make out what it was—an upside-down W, the middle arm longer than the outer two. The shorter ones ended in small circles, and the longer one curled upwards into a larger circle that encompassed the whole symbol. It felt familiar to her, although she had no reason to know a magical symbol like this. If it was even magical, she seriously doubted that it was a nightclub stamp as NotEnrique had called it, although they would have the toughest bouncers in town.

She turned back to her dinner and movie and resolved to ask Walt about it tomorrow. Maybe.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barbara starts making some sense of what she has gotten herself into with the help of an unlikely source.

Thursday morning found Barbara peering into her fridge, wondering how she had let it get so empty. A trip to the store was in order. While there, she saw a cookbook "Breakfast Meals Anyone Could Make!" and decided to test if it was true. She gathered the ingredients for a B.A.T., bacon, avocado, and tomato sandwich with mayo and toast. Something with only five ingredients should be easy to make, right?

It took all morning for her to do it. Breakfast turned into brunch and then into lunch, on account of setting the bacon on fire a few times and her toast coming out black until she found the dial to turn down the cooking time. But, after one in the afternoon, she was proud to send Jim a picture of her creation with the caption:

"Look at what your mother made!"

He sent back a smiley and thumbs-up emoji and:

Jim:  
"Great job Mom! How many times did you set the kitchen on fire?"

"Ha-ha," she replied.

She took a bite and hummed in approval at the taste.

"Yes, I did have to put out a grease fire once or twice, but the toaster was the tough part. Did you know there was a dial on the damn thing?"

Jim:  
"Yes, mom, I knew. How is it taking care of the familiars?" 

For a moment, Barbara panicked and wondered if she should lie to her son that she had been taking care of the babies all week. Here he was on this quest to find the Heartstone, and she had been unproductive all week just painting and sleeping. But, she wanted him to be more honest with her, so she should be honest with him.

"Walt had something come up, so we had to postpone for a few days. Been enjoying a few days of sleeping and painting."

She held her breath while the icon popped up, showing that he was typing a reply, but she let it out gratefully when he responded:

Jim:  
"Cool Mom! You deserve a vacation! What are you painting?"

She went down to the basement to take a picture of _Eye of the Storm_, the painting she had been working on for the last few days. Jim sent back several thumbs-up emojis, and then a selfie of him and Claire giving literal thumbs up with massive grins. Barbara laughed and made sure to save the picture on her phone as she climbed the stairs back to the kitchen. She frowned though when she got his next message:

Jim:  
"So Strickler is part of this thing going on, too?"

"Yes. I don't know what it is all about, just that he and Aaarrrgghh!! are being some kind of security for an event happening this Saturday. What have you heard?" she asked.

Jim:  
"Not much more than you. Toby mentioned Aaarrrgghh!! was away on a 'secret mission,' and I wondered why. Blinky is being secretive and cagey about it, which is suspicious. Plus, he is doing The Look."

"The Look?"

Barbara asked, chewing thoughtfully on the last piece of her sandwich.

Jim:  
"When two trolls are together, and you ask them a question about what is going on, and they give each other The Look, meaning they don't want to tell you. Usually, it's some troll custom that means that you have to fight to the death or something."

Barbara looked at the palm of her hand at the mark, and suddenly the bad feeling she had been fighting the last couple of days came back in full force. Walt not wanting her to go to the festival, NotEnrique's strange behavior, was it something involving violence and death? Then why did Aaarrrgghh!! say she could go? Was hurting her part of NotEnrique's plan? Why?

"Hey kiddo, do you trust NotEnrique?"

She watched as the icon popped up and disappeared several times as Jim seemed to be thinking about his response:

Jim:  
"You can trust NotEnrique Mom. Sometimes he causes trouble but nothing that would hurt anyone. Claire says the worst thing he has done was have a troll party at her house once and almost expose the trolls to her friends. And use her toothbrush in unspeakable ways. Why do you ask Mom?"

Barbara looked at her hand and debated telling Jim the whole truth. But Blinky and the others didn't want the kids to know what was going on and she would respect that. For now.

"He came over to the house a few days ago and was acting weird. Maybe it has something to do with this event they are having. I'll change my toothbrush just in case."

Jim sent her a laughing emoji, and they wrapped up their conversation with I-love-yous and plenty of hearts. Once she was done embarrassing Jim, she opened up a new text conversation with Blinky and Walt:

"I have a problem that you gentletrolls may have to help me with."

Mr. Blinky:  
"Of course, Barbara, I will endeavor to assist in any way I can," replied Blinky. What can I do to help?"

"NotEnrique was at my house a few days ago. I think he tricked me into signing something. Now I have a mark on my hand that is not going away, and I'm worried that it's something bad."

Walt:  
"He had you 'sign' something?" Walt asked.

"He had me dip my hand into a black liquid and then place it on a piece of paper. Then this symbol appeared and won't wash off," Barbara explained.

Mr. Blinky:  
"It sounds like a magical contract. Did the paper have writing on it?"

"Yes, she responded, chewing on a thumbnail worriedly. It was a bunch of runes I didn't recognize."

Mr. Blinky:  
"Trollish, no doubt. This means we won't know the terms until we find the imp and see what conditions he made you accept, explained Blinky. It could be as innocent as making you leave him all of your Earthly possessions at death, but it could be something serious. Failing to meet these terms may result in some painful consequences."

Walt:  
"Did you agree to something without reading the Terms & Conditions first, Barbara?"

She felt her cheeks burn in embarrassment. It was hard to judge if Walt was joking, or he was upset with her for being naive.

"He said it was something to do with a VIP section of the festival, where I could go and be safe, she explained. I wanted to come but didn't want anyone to worry about me."

Mr. Blinky:  
"No worries Barbara, we will get to the bottom of this. Why, I have several tales of Master Jim getting into some magical hijinks at the beginning of his tenure as Trollhunter."

"Wait, what did JIM get into?"

Barbara texted back, but only got a:

Mr. Blinky:  
"Sorry Barbara, TTFN."

She sat at the dining room table, rubbing her face with her hands when she got a text directly from Walt in their private conversation.

Walt:  
"Are you okay?"

Yeah, just feeling stupid. I didn't want to make you worry, and now I have screwed things up.

The icon to show that he was typing a response popped up and disappeared several times. She watched her phone screen with amusement, imagining the troll form of Walt being at a loss of words and typing on his phone like a teen trying to find the right words to send her.

Walt:  
"Nothing to feel stupid about Barbara. You trusted someone that knows more about magic than you do. The severity of not fulfilling a magical contract varies, but we will figure it out together. I don't mean to make you feel dumb. You are anything but. I blame NotEnrique. I will find the brat and make him talk, trust me."

She smiled at the phone and picked it up to type a response.

"Thank you, Walt. I apologize in advance for any trouble I've caused. And don't call him a brat. I'm sure he is a couple of centuries older than me."

Walt:  
"Doesn't mean he is not a brat."

Barbara couldn't help but smile. It was almost like the banter they use to share, and it made her feel so much better to see it. Maybe they could be friends, even if she wasn't sure if she wanted more.

* * *

Later Thursday evening, Barbara made her way over to the Domzalski residence to ask Nancy to watch over the Cradlestone. The babies inside the Cradlestone were safe as long as they stayed there, but Barbara felt better with them being watched while she was gone all the same. Nancy was more than happy to watch them, but somehow Barbara was not able to get her to understand that the "wittle babies" would not need cookies baked for them and that all they needed was a story and some attention, but she didn't think she made Nancy realize that. Toby came down from his room to grab a snack and heard some of their conversations. "Going somewhere, Dr. L?" he asked.

"Just heading out for the weekend for a doctors' conference," she explained, hoping that the teen wouldn't see through her lie.

"Funny," he replied, "Aaarrrgghh!! said he would be out this weekend too. Some secret troll mission that he has been dealing with all this week." He paused, thoughtfully stroking his chin, and Barbara felt her face getting hot. Would he see through their ruse and want to know what was going on? "Busy weekend. Well, have fun, Dr. L!" he quipped, walking out of the kitchen and back upstairs, and Barbara breathed a sigh of relief.

As she was leaving to make her way home, she passed Dictatious watching TV in the living room. Barbara had not talked with Blinky's brother much in the last two weeks since the Battle of Eternal Night. Still, she knew he had become a permanent feature in the Domzalski home watching TV day and night and possibly causing the stray cat population to disappear in the immediate area. She didn't see much reason to talk to him now, but he called out to her before she made it out the door. "Excuse me, fleshbag; what festival are you going to this weekend?"

"Festival? A human conference is not a party Distatious." She was trying to keep her tone light, but she had a feeling the troll could see through her lie even if he was blind. He chuckled and winked three eyes in response. "Aaarrrgghh!! may not have told me what he is doing, so the fleshbag known as Toby will not find out, but I know something is up. What year is it?"

"2018," she answered cooly, wondering how insulted she should feel with all the "fleshbag" comments. She had helped defend the defected Gumm-Gumm from goblins after all.

"Let's see..." He started counting on his fingers, using all four hands to do his calculations. When he was done, he barked out a laugh and looked in her general direction. "The Festival of Nauna! Well, you should have some fun then, watching all the trolls make fools of themselves!"

"What do you mean?" Barbara asked, forgetting that she was pretending that she didn't know about this festival that she had been invited too.

"According to troll lore, the first trolls were stones brought to life by the magic of the Heartstone," he explained, trying to find chips at the bottom of a bag as he talked. "Nauna was the first female troll to be able to reproduce, thus becoming the Mother of all trolls. Humans have a similar legend, I believe, someone named 'Eve?'" Not finding a chip to eat, Dictatious balled up the bag and popped the entire thing in his mouth, chewing loudly. "Female trolls can only have whelps every ten years, so the Festival of Nauna happens every ten years in celebration. Unions that happen that day are considered blessed, and any whelps born of those unions are deemed to be favored by Nauna."

"So why do you say that the trolls will make fools of themselves?" Barbara asked, grimacing when Distatious burped aloud and smacked his stomach.

"At some point, male trolls will start to fight each other to win the hand of a female troll to spend the night together. In years past, the fight could result in death, although knowing my brother, he will probably try to prevent anyone from getting majorly hurt. Gunmar banned the festival outright. Said it was a ridiculous game played by stupid trolls. Fighting to the death for a female." He snorted and gave her a leer. "A female should be honored to bed a warrior; he should not have to prove himself to her."

Barbara opened her mouth to argue with the troll about his sexist views but decided it was not her place. "Well, if I was going, it sounds like it would be fun. I don't agree with anyone fighting to the death, but having someone fight to win your hand is very romantic."

The blind troll just snorted again and turned back to his show. "Have fun at your conference, Doctor."

* * *

Barbara spent Friday in a state of nervous energy. She tried her B.A.T. recipe again, only to forget the mayo. She tried to work on the painting Eye of the Strom but just couldn't concentrate on it. She thought about calling the hospital to see if they needed help but knew if she did go in and they asked her to stay Saturday, she would miss the festival entirely. At one point, she put her hair up and started to scrub the house from top to bottom. If she was stuck at home, she would at least make it a productive day. She did text Blinky and Walt at lunch to ask them about their search for NotEnrique.

Mr. Blinky:  
"No luck I'm afraid. The little imp keeps moving from party to party. I have several gnomes looking for him, but by the time they tell us where he is, he has moved on to the next one."

Barbara had a realization and texted back:

"There were six other handprints on the page. Maybe if you find the owners, you can find out what this is about?"

Mr. Blinky:  
"Good idea, Barbara. I will ask around."

It was later in the evening when Barbara received a call. "Hello?" she answered.

"Hullo, Barbara. H-how are you doing this evening?" Walt's voice seemed small and tinny, so she couldn't tell if the stammer was a bad connection or him being apprehensive.

"Doing good, just doing some stress cleaning."

"Stress cleaning? Are you alright?"

"Oh, yes," she replied. She saw her reflection in the bathroom mirror and felt some panic. Her hair was a mess, falling from her messy bun and sticking to places on her sweaty forehead. Her cheeks were flushed, and there were sweat and water spots all over her shirt. She started messing with her hair like Walt could see her in this state. "I guess I'm kind of nervous about tomorrow."

"The contract NotEnrique made you sign has got you worried?"

"Well, that, and not knowing what I'm walking into tomorrow."

"That's the reason I called this evening. You see Barbara, this festival, it's not just a celebration. It's ah... I mean, it's hard to explain..." he seemed to trail off as he became uncharacteristically lost for words.

"It's a festival celebrating troll fertility," she responded, deciding to take pity on him and let him know what she already knew. "Dictatious had noticed something was up and kind of filled me on the details. He is not a fan."

She heard him make a sound like a deep-throated chuckle. "Yes, I can see how Dictatious would see it as silly and unneeded. Gunmar and the Gumm-Gumms always looked down on festivities as these."

"And what about changelings?" Barbara asked.

He paused for a little bit before responding. "Changelings have been on the outskirts of troll society for a long time. I'm wading into this unknown as much as you are. I guess I really shouldn't form an opinion unless I attend. This may be one reason Blinkous wants the other changelings and me to chaperon, get us acclimated to troll customs." The next part was delivered with a little more force. "But I still think Blinkous should not have invited you, Barbara. Most trolls accepted Jim because he was the Trollhunter, but they may not be so accommodating of a human being here." Barbara heard him make a small growl and smiled. His concern was evident, and she was happy to have it, even if she didn't want him to worry.

"That's why tomorrow, if you ever feel uncomfortable, inform me, and I will escort you home myself. Or we could go-" His voice had stopped so abruptly that for a second, Barbara thought the call had dropped. "I mean to say if y-you prefer we can leave and go into the mountains. They are beautiful at night. If you are more comfortable with Blinkous or Aaarrrgghh!! take you, I would under-"

"I would love to go for a date, Walt," she interrupted his stammer. "I have been missing them." _Been missing you,_ she left unsaid.

"I... I have too. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow Barbara."

They fell into a comfortable silence, not wanting to get into a discussion of the admission they both had just made. After a minute of silence, Barbara cleared her throat and said, "Well, as long as I am not walking into a troll orgy, I think I will be alright."

Walt laughed. "Well, if that is the case, I think I will be taking my leave as well."

She laughed, and they continued their conversation. He was curious about Eye of the Storm, so she sent him the picture. He also congratulated her on her successful ventures in the kitchen ("I only burnt six pieces of toast, Walt, that is a new record for me."). And they talked about the search for NotEnrique and wondered what he was trying to get her to do. He told her to meet Aaarrrgghh!! at the entrance of Trollmarket the next day in the morning, and he would take her by gyre to somewhere near Oslo.

"What is a gyre?" she asked. He chuckled and said cryptically, "You'll see."

Their conversation went quiet again. Barbara didn't mind. It was the longest talk that they had shared in a long time. She wanted to tell him how much she had missed it but didn't want to make him feel bad.

"Well, I will leave you to your stress cleaning, Barbara," he said.

"And I will leave you to watching after horny trolls Walt," was her response. His bark of a laugh made her smile even bigger.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barbara makes her trip and finally gets some answers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy crap guys, thank you for all the kudos and comments, made writing this chapter so much easier.

Barbara was not sure if it is nerves or her own conflicted emotions of their relationship, but she ends up having several vivid dreams of having sex with Walt that night. They had never gotten to that part of their relationship when he had his human skin, but it is the very human Walter Strickler and the troll Stricklander (and even one memorial dream where she swears it is both of them) that visit her. 

There are wet kisses, warm skin under her hands, claws lightly scratching her back, and fingers brushing the inside of her thighs. She pants when she feels teeth on her neck, fingers sliding inside her, cold stone skin on her flushed face, a hand rubbing between her legs. There is the feeling of muscle moving underneath her hands, wings wrapping around her body, running her fingers through soft hair, and along the side of horns. She feels herself get very close to the edge of oblivion, but she never goes over, waking her up, panting and sweating, her sheets wrapped around her legs, and an ache inside that just gets worse as the night goes on. She tries going to sleep each time, hoping the dreams would stop, but Walt seems to be there waiting for her like a personal incubus, and the sensual torture starts all over again.

Barbara finally wakes up in the morning, tired and frustrated. Should she even make the trip? "Get a grip woman," she chided herself, "this is not high school."

She quickly showered and dried herself off, and spent close to an hour trying to decide what to wear. She finally decided on a blue dress, something that looked like it came out of a 50's catalog, but she knew that was back in style. Emerald blue, knee-length, with sleeves, but it had a plunging neckline, and it hugged what little hourglass figure she had. Her hair she put up in a loose bun like always, but she added a black hair clip that had fake blue stones to the back, hoping that it wasn't too gaudy. Cheap silver earrings as well, only because she didn't want to lose anything valuable in the mountains. Black flats finished the look, and Barbara spent several minutes admiring herself in the mirror. It was simple but comfortable, and she hoped it didn't look too formal.

Barbara packed a bag, something light. Jacket, water, some jerky, and snacks. Hopefully, she wouldn't need anything else on her trip. She walked to the canals, knowing she shouldn't take her car there and leave it in the open canal. With her luck, a thunderstorm would come by and wash it away. The walk was quick, though, and she carefully made her way down the embankment. The bridge was still under construction, but there were no workers there to see her walk the entrance of Trollmarket. She tried knocking on the wall she knew to be the opening but didn't know if Aaarrrgghh!! could hear her. Before she could panic, however, a blue light appeared in a semi-circle on the wall, and the pieces of the wall seemed to disappear to reveal Aaarrrgghh!!'s smiling face.

"Bar-bu-ra, you look nice," he said, and she couldn't help but smile in response. "Mark on your hand?" he asked.

She showed him her palm, and the way his face changed in the course of a minute worried her. Shock to fear to anger crossed the massive troll's face, and seeing it made her stomach drop. "What, what is it?" she asked.

He hummed in a worried tone and shook his head. "Blinky explain. Blinky and Stircklander use big words."

"If you say so, Aaarrrgghh!!, but you are making me worried," she relented. If Blinky and Walt could explain as soon as they got there, she could wait.

They made their way down the crystal staircase, the entrance closing behind them. Barbara lightly gasped when they got to the bottom, and she saw the state of things. She had only been here twice before, the night of the Angor Rot attack, and when she and Walt were running for their lives from Gumm-Gumms, but she remembered bright lights and busy streets full of trolls. Now, there was debris everywhere, the neon lights smashed, the storefronts ransacked. Most jarring was the Heartstone lying in ruins, dull and no longer lighting the carven with a soft glow. It was heartbreaking to see. She turned to Aaarrrgghh!!, who had a pained look on his face. "I'm so sorry Aaarrrgghh!!," putting a hand on his arm.

He hummed sadly but then smiled and said, "Wingman says home is where heart is. Sad that Heartstone is gone, but glad that friends are okay." And he turned to guide her through his former home.

They made their way deep into Trollmarket, the space as quiet as a tomb. They finally came to a narrow passage that had an unlit neon sign above and ended in a dead-end. The sign was in the same runes that she had noticed on the parchment NotEnrique had. Trollish Blinky had called it. _ Looks like I'm learning a new language _, Barbara thought to herself. There was sound suddenly that made Barbara think of Gumm-Gumm armor moving. It echoed endlessly in the cavernous space. Aaarrrgghh!! froze and perked his ears up, but there was no way to tell where it was coming from. When the sound didn't repeat itself, he turned back to her and shrugged. Something that they could look into another day.

He took the horngazel he was carrying and drew another half-circle on the wall. A door crumbled, and they stepped into a smaller chamber with a strange device in the middle. It looked like it was giant gears set on a track. Aaarrrgghh!! helped her climb the stairs to the sitting area as he settled in front of the controls. He looked extremely worried and kept humming to himself. "Something wrong?" Barbara asked.

"Hate gyre," he replied, in the most distressed tone she had ever heard him use. He started pulling on levers, and the gears began to move and spin. She looked for any seatbelt or strap for her to use, but there was nothing for her to use. She was about to ask Aaarrrgghh!! if it was safe when the gyre shot forward, causing her to fly back into her seat with a shout.

Barbara was reminded of being on a roller coaster, only with more twists and sharp turns that would probably result in whiplash and lawsuits in a typical theme park. The tunnel was pitch black, so she couldn't see the turns coming and could only try to hang on for dear life. They suddenly darted up, and Aaarrrgghh!! almost fell back to crush her, but just as suddenly they were falling, and he toppled forward. Her glasses almost dropped off her face, so she smacked herself in the face to keep them from flying, using her other hand to cling on to the seat. She wanted to ask how long it would take, but she was screaming in terror and couldn't form the words. And just like that, the gyre came to an abrupt stop, throwing Barbara forward into Aaarrrgghh!!. They stayed in a heap for a few moments, both panting. "Hate gyre!" was all Aaarrrgghh!! could say.

"I have to agree," was Barbara's breathless reply, trying to keep her dress form flipping down even though she was lying on her shoulders and head with her legs in the air.

Once they had recovered, they descended the stairs and started making their way down a long, dimly-lit tunnel. It looked like it was an old mine shift with gas lanterns every 50 feet. Barbara could see the literal light at the end of the tunnel getting closer. When they finally made it to the exit, Barbara saw that it was an abandoned mine, one that was left hastily if the tools on the ground were any clue. Oslo was nine hours ahead of Arcadia, so bright morning skies had been replaced with late evening ones. Barbara was still shocked to realize that they had traveled half the world in under a minute. The gyre may be a terrifying mode of travel, but it was a swift one.

The mine was at the base of one mountain, but Aaarrrgghh!! pointed to one to the east that they had to head to, several miles through dense forest. The sun was low enough that the mountain behind them kept them mostly in shadow, but they were still careful to stay out of the light. At one point, Aaarrrgghh!! put her on his shoulder to cross a deep river and then wouldn't let her down after they got to the other side. He just smiled and patted her knee and made his way through the trees. Being on his shoulder allowed Barbara to take in the gorgeous scenery of tall trees and dense underbrush. Walt was right; it was a beautiful sight to see.

After an hour and a half, they were at the base of their destination, and Aaarrrgghh!! was starting to do less walking and more climbing. He would help her, gently pushing and pulling her up past boulders and rough terrain. They began to walk down a ravine, which ended in a dead-end. Barbara expected Aaarrrgghh!! to grab his horngazel and create a door for them, but he looked up the face of the stone wall in front of them and started speaking in a tongue Barbara did not recognize. She was shocked to see an eye open several hundred feet above them.

Very slowly, a giant troll seemed to grow out of the mountain. No, it didn't grow; it was just pressed into the rock so tightly that it appeared to be a part of the mountain. Its grey skin was rough and weathered; it was covered in moss and grass, even having a whole tree growing out of a shoulder. Barbara couldn't tell if it was male or female, as it didn't wear any clothes or had any features of either sex. It leaned down to peer at them with brown, almost human-like eyes and said something in a low, gravelly voice, a voice so deep that Barbara felt her chest vibrate. Before Aaarrrgghh!! could answer to what sounded like a question asked in Trollish, the giant reached out one finger and slowly nudged Barbara in the chest, not in an unkind way.

Aaarrrgghh!! seemed a little nervous, moving so that he was between her and the other troll, even if it could have picked him up and thrown him like a toddler throwing a toy. He responded in Trollish, Barbara only recognizing "Bar-bu-ra" and "Jim" in his reply. She curtsied to the troll, not knowing if it would appreciate the gesture or not.

Either Barbara's gesture or Aaarrrgghh's explanation pleased the giant troll because it smiled and stood back up. It moved it's leg and revealed a cave entrance in the wall it was shielding. They walked through, and the hole was covered again by the guard, leaving them in darkness. Barbara let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding and asked: "What was that about Aaarrrgghh!!?"

"Humans not allowed. You are mother of Trollhunter. Decided to let you in," and with that, he turned to lead her deeper into the cave.

Barbara thought it was her imagination at first, but the cave seemed to be getting lighter as they walked. They rounded a corner, and Barbara gasped at the sight that waited for her.

The entire mountain was hollow, almost twice the size of a football stadium, and still, the ample space was nearly filled wall-to-wall with hundreds of moving bodies. Lit crystals and gems scattered throughout the area gave off enough light that Barbara could see all kinds of trolls together. Trolls with more than one set of arms like Blinky, one eye, two eyes, more than two eyes, no horns, one horn, two horns, multiple horns, racks of horns, wings, no hair, some hair, to ones that looked like Bigfoot. Smaller than Barbara and others that towered over Aaarrrgghh!!. They came in all sorts of colors, from colors found in forests and deserts to brighter colors that made them look like living jewels. The variety of each member of the crowd was amazing and overwhelming, and Barbara couldn't help but stare in wonder.

Several colossal mountain trolls were leaning and seated along the outer walls, stalls selling goods weaving in and out of their limbs. Along the wall furthest from them were a dozen oak barrels the size of small houses, trolls lining up with mugs to get what Barbara could only assume was booze. The barrels were open at the top, and she could see several smaller green trolls in each barrel swimming around in the neon green liquid. None of the other trolls seemed to mind this. In the middle of the enormous room was a mosh pit, trolls rocking to the thumping noise of drums. They made their way down an incline and into the crowd.

Aaarrrgghh!! helped her to navigate, gently pushing past anyone who would not move for her. Most trolls did not seem to notice her, but some stopped what they were doing to stare or whisper to their companions. Most stares were curious, but some were hostile. Aaarrrgghh!! would glare at any troll that seemed unfriendly, but otherwise, he smiled and greeted any troll that called out to him. He asked where Blinky was, and the answer was always the same: The large stone staircase to their right, trolls climbing up and down from an opening in the wall to a space that Barbara could not see into.

Somehow they were pushed towards the barrels of booze. Aaarrrgghh!! accepted a mug from a random troll. "Glug," he explained, and swallowed the green liquid in one quick motion. He smacked his lips and then let out a burp that would impress a college frat boy. Barbara held her nose from the smell but then giggled with him at his antics. So far, this was reminding her of some parties from med school.

When they had almost made their way past the barrels of glug, a mountain troll in front of them slowly leaned over and grabbed an entire barrel for itself and started to drink it. The trolls who had been swimming inside scrambled to make sure that they didn't get swallowed with the liquid. They seemed unharmed, but one started to shout and kick at the mountain troll's nose. It paid her no mind, and then let out its own monstrous burp, sending the smaller green troll flying into another barrel of glug. The trolls on the floor let out cheers and laughed at the spectacle, and Barbara joined them when she saw there was no permanent harm.

Suddenly Barbara's left arm was jerked back, and she gave out a yelp in surprise. She found herself dangling several feet in the air, facing a troll with a scowl on his face. He was holding her in a way that she couldn't use rule number three on him, her feet kicking uselessly in the air. She tried to pry her hand free, but he was just too strong. "No humans allowed," he growled at her, "How you get in here?"

Before she could yell for help, a magenta blur suddenly dropped in front of them. Barbara was able to recognize Nomura as she started hitting the unfriendly troll's head with a thick stick. Each whack was paired with a word. "That! Is! The! Troll! Hunter's! Mother! You! IDIOT!" 

She delivered the last blow with such force that the wood splintered on the troll's head, and he finally let go of Barbara to grab his head in pain. Barbara retreated from him and Aaarrrgghh!! gently moved so that he was in front of her. When the troll had recovered, he opened his eyes and started to say something. "Damn impure! You don't to-" but he was met with a roar to the face from Aaarrrgghh!! instead of the frightened human, he was expecting. He scrambled backward, falling on his backside and then clambering away into the crowd. Various trolls jeered at him, and some even giving Aaarrrgghh!! cheers of approval.

"Barbara! How good to see you!" exclaimed Nomura. She used a tone that would be more at home at a cocktail party than in the middle of a troll festival. She gave the human a smirk and folded her arms, still holding the broken stick. "Enjoying yourself so far? The natives are welcoming, aren't they?"

Barbara smiled at her sarcasm while rubbing her sore wrist. "Hello, Nomura. I was enjoying myself, but should I be worried about getting that reaction again?" 

"Oh, you don't have to worry. Gossip spreads like wildfire in here. Soon everyone will know that the Trollhunter's mother is here, and they will leave you alone."

"Thank you anyway; I owe you one."

"Nonsense. I owe Jim ten times over."

They moved as a group towards the staircase, skirting around the mosh pit. This gave Barbara a chance to see the stalls up close. Some were selling food: skinned animal bodies, human clothes, and rocks. Some were selling what looked like magical items: books, potions in glass jars, and glowing gems. And some stalls defied explanation, like the one selling TVs set to static. Gnomes were everywhere, either grooming the larger trolls or trying to steal items from the stalls.

She was also able to note some of the couples wandering around. She could tell who was together because they held hands just like humans, but sometimes they would also bump foreheads together or nuzzle. One pair seemed to be getting hot and heavy, the female rubbing her companion's horns quite suggestively until someone in the crowd yelled: "Get a room you two!" They giggled and ran towards the staircase, so they presumingly could find a place to be alone.

"So, have you been having fun?" Barbara asked Nomura.

"Oh, it was fun in the beginning," said the changeling, "but the week has been so long I will be glad it's over tonight. We only had to break up a fight or two the first day. Now, it's a fight almost every hour. One reason we have a no weapon rule." She looked at the stick she held with contempt and then to the crowd dancing in the mosh pit. "These nincompoops are getting hornier and drunker by the minute, and it's fraying some nerves, like mine."

"Why a whole week?"

"Had to give trolls some time to get here. Not everyone lives right on top of a gyre."

They had made it to the base of the staircase when there was shouting behind them. Two trolls were fighting in the line for glug. Nomura sighed and looked at Barbara with annoyance on her face. "No rest for the wicked," she joked, and then she was running back to break up the fight. "Hey! Wait your turn, you asshats!"

Aaarrrgghh!! and Barbara went up the staircase, which lead to a hallway that was the size of a cathedral. Other smaller corridors branched off on both sides. They had little rooms craved into the walls, all the way up to the ceiling, rope ladders leading to the entrances. Barbara could see couples in the rooms, mostly just nuzzling or spending time together, but some seem to be getting hot and heavy, making them pull a curtain closed to give themselves some privacy. So this is where a troll could "get a room."

Finally, they spotted Blinky, talking to a group of trolls. Two trolls were looking ashamed of themselves, ripped clothing, and several scrapes on their bodies, showing signs of being in a fight. Two smaller trolls, which Barbara assumed were changelings, held them by the upper arms with scowls on their faces. Blinky was lecturing them. "...and now that you have fought like immature whelps, you have to be banned. Expelled. Barred from reentry. I expected better from both of you."

"Can we take them to the entrance now, or is the speech part of the punishment?" asked one changeling, bored look on his face. 

Blinky gave him an irritated look. "Is sarcasm part of a changeling's training?"

"I don't think so, but is a thesaurus part of your breakfast?" was the changeling's response. He marched away with his charge, Blinky glaring at his back. The second changeling also made a retreat. Blinky's expression changed into a wide smile when he saw Barbara and Aaarrrgghh!! and he walked up to them with all four arms held out for a hug, his staff held in one hand. 

"Barbara, so good to see you!" He gave her a gentle squeeze and held her out to look at her outfit. "You look wonderful! How was your trip?"

"Good, although I'm not sure how soon I want to get back on that gyre." She held out her right palm. "Can we figure out this symbol now? I am beyond worried about it."

"Of course," he responded, taking her hand in his "I doubt it's anything to worry abo-Great Grumbly Gruesome!" He saw the symbol and suddenly clamped three hands around her hand, clutching hard, almost to the point of pain. He opened his hands to spare a look and gasped, covering her hand again with a clap. He looked around until he saw an open room and quickly dragged her to it, Aaarrrgghh!! following, closing the curtain behind them and humming worriedly. Blinky kept her hand in one of his, looking at it with deep concern.

"That immature, irresponsible, self-serving fiend. What has he done now?" Blinky said mostly to himself. He turned to Aaarrrgghh!!. "Can you retrieve the scroll?" Aaarrrgghh!! nodded and left the room. He turned back to Barbara. "Barbara dear, can I have one of your earrings? I promise to replace it later."

"Blinky, what's wrong? You're scaring me." He didn't answer, but she gave him the earring, and he bit it. It was good enough for whatever he needed it for because he opened the curtain and got the attention of a near-by gnome. He handed the earring to the gnome and told him, "Get the changeling named Stricklander right away and bring him here." The gnome chattered happily and ran off.

Blinky tented all four of his hands and turned to Barbara, taking a deep breath. "Ok, we are going to stay calm. There is something I have to verify before we panic." He saw the anxious look on her face and then seemed to realize how freaked out she was. "Not that we will panic. We will work things out, I swear on Daylight. Stricklander says you talked to my brother. Did he tell you what this festival is about?"

"Um, yes, it's a festival celebrating the Mother of trolls, Nauna. The first troll able to reproduce. Which explains why you didn't want the kids here."

"Correct, exactly, it is way too, ah, mature, for them to attend."

* * *

Across the globe, back in Arcadia, Toby sits in his armor in the Tarron cockpit, loading an app on his phone. Soon he would be using a dog's pee to fight a hydrant in an attempt to stop an alien invasion. "Uh, let's mind our Ps and pees, people," he tells the others around him.

* * *

"Did he tell you what happens at the end of the festival?" Blinky asked Barbara.

"Something about trolls fighting to the death, for the hand of a female? But he said he doubted you would let it get that severe and that it was a stupid custom."

"Yes, it is the part of fighting for the female that I am worried about."

Suddenly there was a shout outside of the curtain, and Blinky moved it aside to see what the commotion was about. Walt stumbled in, covered in about half a dozen gnomes, having his cape, ears, and horns being pulled on. He growled and then shook violently, sending the tiny creatures flying. "Get off of me, you bloody wankers!" he snarled. He was wearing a loincloth and cape, but both were not made of his usual brown leather but looked like they were made of a softer black material that shone in the low light. His collar of feather knives was replaced with a collar made of actual feathers, dark black, and gleaming. He looked like he should be a villain in a kids' cartoon show, but somehow it looked great on his green stone flesh.

_ Damn Barbara, you have it bad,_ she thought to herself.

He noticed her while he adjusted his clothing, eyes going wide as he looked her up and down. He broke out into a smile, and she smiled back, happy in the knowledge that he liked the dress. He walked to her and took her hand. He bowed and brought her hand to his lips (did trolls have lips?), and she felt a tickle as he took a breath. "You look lovely," he murmured, and Barbara blushed hard. This was the first time he had kissed her hand while in troll form, and it was just as romantic as the first time he had done it. He stood up and turned to Blinky, not letting go of her hand. "Nomura says she was attacked. I told you she shouldn't have taken part in today's festivities, Blinkous."

"Attacked? I wasn't aware. Barbara, are you alright?"

"I was grabbed by a troll. I'm ok. I'm more concerned about this," and she turned her hand over so Walt could see the palm. His eyes went wide.

"That juvenile, conniving, selfish cretin."

"That's what I said!" Blinky exclaimed. He sighed and turned to Barbara. "As I was saying, the females who participate are volunteers who are called the Chosen of Nauna. They are obliged to spend the night with whoever won the fight."

"Wait, wait.... is this some kind of date rape?" Barbara questioned.

"Rape?" Blinky asked, looking to Walt for an interpretation. "When a human force themselves on their partner for sex," Walt explained.

"No, no, no, no.... nothing like that. Sex is encouraged if the couple desires it or if they wish to have a whelp together. But spending the night together is a requirement that must be met. So, the Chosen are made to sign a magical contract, so that they can't get, what do you humans say? Get cold feet? The contract keeps them from backing out."

"A magical contract? Like the one NotEnrique brought to me?" Barbara asked.

JJust then, Aaarrrgghh!! entered the room with a familiar piece of parchment, and the three trolls gathered around as Blinky unrolled it. All three of them growled in unison, and then they shared The Look. Barbara felt her stomach drop, and she asked: "What is it?"

"You see Barbara," Blinky said reluctantly, as he turned the paper around so she can see her handprint at the bottom of the page, "you are one of Nauna's Chosen."


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barbara starts to fulfill the responsibilities of being Chosen but hits a snag when finding a champion.

Barbara buried her face in her hands, moaning in distress for several moments. Someone came up to her, shushing her and gently placing their hands on her shoulders. Barbara hoped it was Walt, but when the second set of hands were placed on her elbows, she knew it was Blinky. He started making calming noises and gently saying her name over and over.

"Barbara, Barbara, Barbara... We are not panicking, remember? Well, at least I now know who Master Jim inherited his anguished moan from."

She peeked out from her fingers and gave him a worried look. "Do I get to panic when I'm being crushed by a horny troll?" she asked.

"Well, most male trolls have horns, Barbara."

Walt snorted from across the room. He had the scroll and was looking it over, Barbara assuming to see what terms she unknowingly signed. Aaarrrgghh!! was by his elbow, but hadn't gotten Barbara's lame joke and gave Walt a look. Blinky glared at him and asked, "And what is so funny?"

"Horny is a human idiom meaning to be aroused," Walt explained, not looking up from the scroll. Blinky gave a small growl and turned back to Barbara. "We will not let that happen; no harm will come to you. I promise you that." He started to pace and mutter to himself, and Barbara tried to take a deep breath to keep herself from being scared, but she nervously chewed on her thumbnail.

"Well, if we can't panic, what can we do?" asked Walt.

Blinky did not stop pacing, but he held up three fingers in one hand. "_Annulment_, Barbara _does not_ participate, Barbara _does_ participate."

"An-nul-ment?" asked Aaarrrgghh!!, looking very lost.

"Canceling the contract altogether, like she never signed it," explained Blinky, folding his lower set of arms behind him. "But, the catch is that for a contract like Nauna's, we would have to involve the Tribunal."

"What Tribunal?" Barbara asked.

"A collection of troll leaders," said Walt. "Only, there are just two leaders that we could appeal to."

"Excuse me, what do you mean 'just two leaders?'" asked Blinky.

Walt rolled his eyes and held up his hand with all fingers extended. "Usurna was executed," he lowered a finger, "Bork was turned into a Gumm-Gumm," another finger down, "you, Blinkous, would be called too biased," he folded his thumb down, "meaning we appeal to Wumpa of the Quagawumps and Gatto." He looked at the two fingers left and lowered his pointer finger, leaving the middle finger up. "I think we can figure out what Gatto's response would be."

Barbara was probably the only one who got the meaning behind the vulgar gesture. "I take it that Gatto is not a friend."

"Oh, we only stole from Gatto twice, asked him for his support at the Battle of Eternal Night, and he refused, banned him from this festival, and I may be trying to get him thrown off the Tribunal, but SURELY, he could be persuaded to be FAIR in his ruling," Blinky described in a sarcastic tone. His pacing started to pick up in his agitation, and now both sets of arms were behind him.

"Used backdoor twice," offered Aaarrrgghh!!. Barbara didn't know what he meant, but Blinky threw him a sour look and Aaarrrgghh!! gave a nervous grin.

"It doesn't matter though, even if we got both of them to agree that Barbara didn't know what she was signing, it would take days, maybe weeks, for someone to break the magical contract. By their very nature, they are hard to nullify."

"When are the festivities?" asked Walt.

"In three hours," moaned Blinky.

Barbara tried to take a deep breath. "So, an annulment is out. What happens if I don't go?"

"You become cursed," said Walt, rolling up the scroll.

"Oh, is that all!?" Barbara almost screeched. She wanted to bury her head in her hands again but settled just rubbing her forehead. "Is it for the rest of my life, or is there a time limit on it?"

"It's a physical curse that lasts a week," Walt told her. He handed the scroll to Bllinky so he could read it himself. "It sounds like it will cause skin lesions. Open sores and the like."

"Is there a counter curse?" asked Blinky while Barbara recoiled in horror. "None that I am aware of," replied Walt. "She could be put to sleep for the period that the curse is active. But that is not ideal."

"Hrm, and if the kids taught me anything, curses and spells meant for trolls can have stronger and stranger effects on humans," Blinky mused as he looked over the scroll. "We can't assume the curse won't harm her in ways we can't predict. Better that she not be cursed in the first pla-Barbara, are you alright?"

In truth, Barbara was pissed, although she couldn't decide who she wanted to blame more, herself or NotEnrique. She had removed her glasses and had her right hand covering her eyes. She didn't respond to Blinky but started talking to herself instead. "Stupid, stupid, stupid, how could I be so stupid." She sighed, replaced her glasses, and looked at the three trolls in front of her. "I guess I have no choice; I am one of Nauna's Chosen. And I now regret telling Dictatious that having someone fight for my hand would be romantic. What do I do now?"

"You don't do anything," replied Blinky. "I can take you to Bagdwella; she is the one getting everyone ready for the ceremony. Meanwhile, we will have to find a troll we trust to be your champion."

"I be champion," Aaarrrgghh!! announced.

All three of them looked at the hulking troll in shock. Barbara gave him a grateful smile, but both Blinky and Walt looked distressed. Walt brought his hand to his mouth, the other one folded behind him. Barbara recognized it as a gesture he used when deep in thought. Blinky went to Aaarrrgghh!! and put a hand on his shoulder. "Are you sure old friend? If you are Barbara's champion, you can not be the champion for anyone else." Barbara thought it was a weird question, but Aaarrrgghh!! just smiled and nodded. "Protect Bar-bu-ra. For Jim."

"It makes sense," Walt said softly. "He could beat any troll here. And she would be safe." Walt stood up straighter and put both hands behind his back. "And don't say you're stupid, Barbara. This is NotEnrique having fun at your expense."

"He said signing the contract would keep me safe. I shouldn't have trusted him like I did," answered Barbara.

"In a way, it will keep you safe. No troll will dare kick you out now. You are one of Nauna's Chosen. Let me return to the main room; make sure Nomura hasn't killed anyone." He walked to her and took her hand for another kiss. Before he let go, however, Barbara squeezed his fingers hard to get his attention. He raised an eye ridge in response.

"Raincheck on that date?" she asked, hopeful. She didn't want to lose any of the progress they had made that week. He smiled, nodded, and stole another kiss before leaving with a dramatic flip of the curtain.

Blinky picked up his staff and cleared his throat. "You two had made plans?" he inquired.

She nodded. "Yes, the biggest reason I'm upset right now. I wanted to spend the evening with Walt and not with anyone else." She gave Blinky a sideways glance. "You're probably going to tell me off for wanting a relationship with him."

"On the contrary, I will not." He held the curtain open so that she and Aaarrrgghh!! could exit the room, and they started walking deeper into the mountain. "I may not always agree with his methods, but Stricklander has proven himself trustworthy. If he had not been by Master Jim's side during the battle of Eternal Night, I would say he still only cared for himself. But he came back, at much personal risk. If he makes you happy, then I will not judge." Blinky then gave her a sly grin. "But if he does end up hurting you, please let me know. I want to watch Aaarrrgghh!! beat him after Master Jim has a chance to." Aaarrrgghh!! gave a soft growl and pounded a fist into his palm as a demonstration.

There was a shout, and the second changeling that Blinky had been talking to before came running up. "Brawl! In the glug line! We need Aaarrrgghh!!!"

Aaarrrgghh!! went running back to the main room with the changeling, giving Barbara a small wave as he left. "Expel anyone who is fighting!" Blinky yelled after them. "Come, Barbara, Bagdwella will be waiting," and with that, they turned to walk in the opposite direction.

* * *

The area that housed the private rooms ended and opened up into a large dark space that Barbara could not see into. There was a group of trolls on the other side of the space with torches, but otherwise, it was pitch black. Barbara peered into the darkness but could not make sense of any of the dark shapes. "What is that, Blinky?"

Blinky swelled with pride and grabbed his suspenders in satisfaction. "That is my solution to the problem of trolls wanting to beat their opponents to dust. In Arcadia, we had the Forge, a training device that helped Master Jim in his practice. Before we traveled to the New World, Trollhunters came here to train, the Gauntlet. We have spent the week getting it to work, and it will serve as a challenge to overcome that doesn't involve death and dismemberment. Some trolls will still want to beat their competitors into submission, but the changelings will make sure nothing gets too out of hand."

"So Aaarrrgghh!! won't get hurt because of me?" asked Barbara.

Blinky chuckled. "Aaarrrgghh!! is one of the most fearsome warriors I know. I doubt anyone but a mountain troll could harm him here."

"So why did you ask him if he wanted to be my champion?" asked Barbara.

Blinky looked startled for a moment, and then his eyes starting darting around the space as if he was trying to find something else to distract her. "Oh, look at that interesting stalactite formation!"

"Blinky."

"You do you know why they are stalactites?"

"Blinky."

"Because they hold _tight_ to the ceiling!" He laughed at his bad joke, but Barbara just folded her arms until his forced laughter died down, and he cleared his throat. He sighed and gestured to a rock so they could both sit down. "Do you know who Usurna is?" he asked.

"Vaguely... I think she was there when Walt and I were kidnapped and taken to Trollmarket."

"Yes, although that is not the worse of her betrayals. As queen of the Krubera, Aaarrrgghh!!'s tribe, and member of the Tribunal, she had Maser Jim banished and killed Vendel, allowing Gunmar to take over Trollmarket in the first place." Barbara felt her chest ache. She knew Vendel had passed away, but not that he had been murdered. "When Aaarrrgghh!! and I were trying to convince the Quagawumps to aid us in the Battle of Eternal Night, she appeared and captured us. While torturing Aaarrrgghh!! she revealed that she had given Aaarrrgghh!! to Gunmar when he was just a whelp willingly, to become Gunmar's general and greatest soldier. The other Krubera heard her confession and drowned her in the swamp."

"So that is why Walt said she was executed. Good riddance."

Blinky nodded in agreement. "Now, the Krubera have become unpopular in the troll community, and are looking for leadership. Aaarrrgghh!! would be a good choice being as popular as he is but he is hesitant to lead. So I asked him to get to know the next troll in succession, a distant cousin of Usurna's, a troll named Qume when she came to the festival this week. I mostly wanted to see if she shared Usurna's views, but she seems to be appalled by what Usurna did. And, well... Aaarrrgghh!! has become smitten. He has been talking about her all week. Reminded me of Master Jim when he fawns over Fair Claire."

The two of them looked at each other for a beat, and then almost at the same moment, they let out a long, breathy "Oh, Claire!" and collapsed against each other, giggling at their impression of the lovestruck teen.

They straightened up, and Blinky continued, still giggling. "He was saying he wanted to be Qume's escort, and he has _never_ wanted to participate in the festival before this year. She has made quite the impression. But now he will be your champion instead."

Barbara worried at her thumbnail for a bit. "It just doesn't seem fair. He shouldn't have to protect me like this." She suddenly had a thought. "What if no one wants to spend the night with me, can he be Qume's champion then?"

"Unfortunately, as the last one to sign the contract that makes you go last in the order of the ceremony. Qume will go just before you. Aaarrrgghh!! will have to wait to see if anyone even tries to run the Gauntlet for your hand," Blinky explained with a worried expression. He sighed and stood, offering her a hand to help her up. "NotEnrique's prank is leading to more heartache then he may have planned for. At this rate, you and Stricklander will not be the only ones who will want to punish the imp."

"Any sign of him?" asked Barbara as she linked her arm in Blinky's offered one. Blinky grimaced and shook his head. "None, I'm afraid. The last anyone saw of him was last night, and now he has gone to ground."

They rounded a corner and came to a large cave opening covered in the same curtains. Lacking a door to knock on, Blinky thumped his staff on the floor loudly and proclaimed: "Bagdwella, I have the Trollhunter's mother!" The curtain burst open immediately, startling Barbara out of her skin. Bagdwella was standing there arms opened wide, wild grin on her face, showing almost every sharp tooth she had. "Barbaraaaa! I was just about to send some gnomes out to look for you!" She surged forward and grabbed Barbara by the shoulders, ripping her from Blinky. Barbara was so shocked that she seized up, feeling her feet being dragged across the floor. When she got Barbara closer Bagdwella starting to push her inside the cave. "We almost have no time to get you ready!" she scolded.

"Wait! You knew she was coming?" Blinky asked.

"Of course!" was the response. "NotEnrique informed me of her decision to be one of the Chosen days ago. He swore me to secrecy, though. Said Barbara was shy." Bagdwella gave Barbara a leer. "Don't worry, dear, you will probably get the strongest champion of them all." Bagdwella pushed her farther into the cave, and before the curtain closed, Barbara looked back at Blinky with a look that she hoped screamed: "Save me!". Blinky could only shrug in acknowledgment.

This cave seemed to be a natural hole in the wall and seemed to go deeper than the carved ones in the other section of the mountain. Several females were already there, getting dressed. One looked like the trolls that had been swimming in the barrels of glug, short in stature, green skin, and hair that looked like a tumbleweed. Another looked like Nomura, but with shoulder-length black hair and dark blue skin. The others were taller and bigger in various hues and colors. They all had floor-length gowns on in colors that matched their skin color and were decorating their bodies with multiple items. The short green one was using white Christmas lights in her hair. One was using pieces of glass and mirrors. Nomura's doppelganger was using what looked like peacock feathers in her hair and as a collar. They all stopped what they were doing to look at her, their expressions being curious and friendly. Bagdwella seemed to sense what question was coming next, and she made Barbara lift her right hand to show off the symbol. "Ladies, welcome Barbara Lake, the Trollunter's mother."

The others made pleased noises and gathered around to welcome her. The green one seemed the most curious, actually giving Barbara an open sniff. She then stuck out her hand with a stiff arm. "I'm Glug," she announced. Barbara shook her hand. "Nice to meet you, Glug. Do you, um, make glug?" The smaller troll eyes got wide. "How do you know?" she asked in wonder.

Bagdwella grabbed Barbara again and started to push her further into the cave. "No time to waste, dear, we must get you ready." As they went deeper, Barbara saw a figure that was in the darker part of the cave dart away before she could get a good look.

Bagdwella opened another curtain to reveal a smaller cove. In the back was a second curtain that the troll lifted so Barbara could see what looked like a water trough for farm animals full of hot water. "First, you must bathe," said Bagdwella.

"I have already showered today," explained Barbara, but the female troll just shooked her head. "You smell like a human. Can't have you offending your champion's nose!" And with that, she left Barbara alone without giving the human a chance to argue. Barbara gave herself a curious sniff and could only catch the slight citrus smell of the body wash she used. How was that offensive? She sighed. A nice hot bath may not be a bad idea.

She undressed, folding her clothes on top of her bag. She removed the hair clip from her hair and remade her hair so that it was higher on her head and wouldn't get wet. She made sure the curtain was down and then inspected the trough. Both it and the water inside of it seemed clean. Steam rose from the surface of the water, and when she dipped her foot into the water, the warmth made her toes tingle. Her skin broke out in goosebumps as she gingerly lowered herself into the water. She took a deep breath when she was fully submerged from the neck down. Working in a hospital meant she was almost always cold, and she enjoyed the warmth as it worked into her muscles and bones.

After several minutes she glanced over the side of the "tub" and inspected four bottles that were beside the trough. She uncorked the first one and took a curious sniff. Rotten eggs. "Bleh." The second one smelled like garbage. "Ew." The third one was like rotten meat and made her gagged. She eyed the last one with hesitation but uncorked it and was pleasantly surprised to smell what seemed to be evergreen trees with a hint of dirt and rotting leaves. A little masculine for a woman to wear, but it was the best of her four options. She stood and made a lather with the soap and started washing.

When she was rinsing off, she heard Bagdwella come back into the cave, humming to herself. "Just dropping off your gown, dear!" she announced in a light voice. When Barbara was done, she poked her head out of the washing area. A towel and a white gown were waiting for her. The towel was enormous, and Barbara had to wrap it around herself several times. She started to look for her bag and clothes but couldn't find them. She looked everywhere, even under the white gown, and cursed silently.

Bagdwella had taken her clothes. Even her underwear.

Given no other choice, Barbara put on the gown. Luckily it flowed at all way to the floor, and the top was tight enough that she didn't think she would have to worry about flashing anyone. She exited out into the main cave and tried to walk over to Bagdwella as casually as she could. Bagdwella was helping one troll with her hair, and Barbara leaned in to whisper to her. "Bagdwella, where is my stuff?"

"Oh, I put your things somewhere safe, dear. Where the gnomes can't get to them."

Barbara nervously cleared her throat. "And my underwear?"

"You won't be needing your knickers, dear," Bagdwella answered a little too loudly for Barbara's liking.

Barbara opened her mouth to argue but closed it again in a pout. "You aren't giving them back no matter what I say," she said, her tone more of a statement than a question. Bagdwella gave her a wide grin and simply said, "No."

Barbara sighed and retreated to the back of the cave. She found a rock and sat on it, drawing her knees to her chest. So far, this is not what she expected when she had been invited. She sat there in a funk, regrading her bare feet when she sensed someone walking up to her right elbow. She glanced over to see a troll that looked like Usurna, but smaller and with kinder eyes. She was wearing a dark blue gown and a crown of glowing stones that framed her face and matched the bright stones along the lines in her body. Smaller glowing rocks hung from the crown, leading almost down to the ground in a thick cape. She had a slight smile on her face, and she had her hands clutched nervously in front of her. "Hullo," she said, "Excuse me, I wanted to introduce myself. I'm Qume. Pardon me if my human..." She paused and tilted her head a little, making the small stones clink together, "...if my _English_ is bad. This is my first time talking to a human."

Barbara smiled and offered her hand "It's ok, I don't know any Trollish. Doctor Barbara Lake." Qume looked at her hand and gently shook it. "Doctor? A human healer?" she asked.

"Yes, although I know it's not as important as being the Trollhunter." Qume looked shocked for a second and then sat down next to Barbara. "It's very important. I always wanted to be a healer. But Queen Usurna named me as her successor, and I had to prepare to replace her."

"I heard about her. I'm sorry if you two were close." Qume shook her head. "We were not, and given everything she did, I am glad that we never were." Qume looked slightly distressed, and Barbara let them fall into an uncomfortable silence.

Qume looked at her and asked, "Do you have anyone you wish to be your champion?"

_Oh, just a seven-foot, green changeling with wings_, Barbara thought to herself. "No one in particular," she said out loud. "Sounds like just having someone try to win your hand is an honor. Do you have someone in mind?"

The young troll's face broke out in the biggest smile, and her eyes seem to shine. She looked at her hands in her lap and lifted her shoulders bashfully. "Aarghaumont and I have been talking this week, but I hear that he has never taken part in the festival." Barbara was a little confused. "Aarghaumont? Do you mean Aaarrrgghh!!?" Qume smiled and nodded.

Barbara smiled softly and asked, "You guys like each other, huh?" Qume nodded again. Barbara considered the female troll in front of her for a moment and then came to a decision. "Excuse me, Qume; I have to do something real quick." Barbara looked around the room as she took off her earring, spying a gnome that was trying to make off with some of Glug's Christmas lights. She went up to the gnome, and it jumped from her and hissed.

"Easy, easy," she cooed, handing the little creature her last earring. "Can you please get the changeling known as Stricklander and bring him here?" The gnome chattered happily and scampered off.

She went back to sit with Qume to wait, and they started discussing some human inventions ("Cars run on gasoline lit with fire." "So it runs on magic." "Kinda.") when Barbara heard a familiar shout and Walt stumbled into the cave. This time he was covered in about a dozen gnomes, one of them pulling on his mouth as the others tugged on horns, ears, and cape. The females all started shouting and screaming at him, and he clamped a hand over his eyes while the gnomes scattered off of him. He straightened up and drew as much dignity as he could. "Ladies, I assure you, I am not here of my own volition," he tried to explain over the female trolls' screaming. "No one sees the Chosen before the ceremony!" yelled Bagdwella, and Barbara rushed to rescue him.

"Sorry, ladies, I have to talk to him real quick," Barbara explained while pushing Walt out beyond the curtain. She stood on the other side while she watched Walt's outline sigh and readjust his clothing. "Barbara," he said in a tight voice, "I do have my phone with me."

"Sorry, Bagdwella confiscated my phone. As well as my food." _And my clothes_, she thought to herself.

"Food? Do you need dinner?" Walt asked worriedly. She dropped her voice to a whisper. "Not right now," she said, hoping he didn't hear stomach rumble as it was reminded of the existence of food. "What I need is for you to talk to Aaarrrgghh!! and make sure he doesn't try to be my champion."

"What?! Why?"

"Because one of the females in here likes him, and he likes her, and they shouldn't be punished because of what I got myself into," she said in a fierce whisper.

"Barbara, you do know these unions are for one evening only. They are not permanent." She saw his outline move as he shook his head. "Aaarrrgghh!! is trying to protect you, I doubt I can convince him not to."

"But it's not right!" she angrily whispered. "NotEnrique may be playing a prank on me, but I still signed something I shouldn't have. I should deal with the consequences and not drag Aaarrrgghh!! into it!"

Walt's outline stood still for a beat, and then he gave a big sigh. "And now I see where Young Atlas gets his sense of justice from. I will try my best to persuade Aaarrrgghh!! to not be your champion."

"Thank you, Walt. I owe you one."

"You will never owe me anything," he replied softly. "Just please, no more gnomes." She laughed in relief and wished she could at least kiss him on the cheek to show her appreciation. His outline moved away, and Barbara turned to go back into the cave.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Gauntlet is started and so are the trials for the Chosen, and Barbara is left wondering who will be her champion.

Barbara returned to the back of the cave with Qume. She looked at Barbara with wide eyes. "You are friends with a changeling?"

"Yes," answered Barbara cautiously. She knew what trolls thought of changelings. Qume looked thoughtful. "I heard that the Trollhunter had some changelings fighting by his side. Was that one of them?"

Barbara smiled at her curiosity. "Yes, I knew him when he had his human guise. His name is Walter Strickler, although I think he is going by Stricklander now." Qume's eyes widen at the name. "I have heard of that one. Are you two close?"

"Yes." _I wish we were closer sometimes._ "I know a few of them, and they are a little rough around the edges, but they can be loyal as long as you treat them well."

Qume looked thoughtful at what she said. Just then, Bagdwella came over with some items in her arms. "Barbara, we must finish getting you ready." Qume started to back away from the two of them. Barbara noticed that Qume was keeping herself separated from the others. "Actually, if Qume doesn't mind, I would like her to help me get ready." Both trolls look shocked at her request, but Qume broke out into a wide grin that made her look like Aaarrrgghh!!. Bagdwella looked annoyed, but just shrugged and dropped off the materials without comment. 

Qume took her over to a rock that had a broken mirror set up in front of it. She had Barbara remove her glasses and started to comb her hair into a high bun. She grabbed something and began to attach it to the back of Barbara's head using thread to weave it into Barbara's hair. Barbara tried to squint to see what it was, but all she could make out was a multi-color semi-circle. Qume grabbed a second one and then a third, layering them into a crown. Then she put a necklace on Barbara, with one red blur and one blue blur. Barbara put on her glasses and gasped at how she looked. 

The necklace had two crystal swords on it, carved to look like Daylight and Eclipse, her son's main weapons. The crown was three rings of crystals, no thicker than chopsticks, layered until they circle her head. It reminded Barbara of the halos in old Christian paintings, making her appear like a saint. They were also red and blue, the blue crystals as dark as the ocean to the light ones matching her eyes, the red crystals deep as blood to light pink.

Qume had her stand, and she attached a cape to the gown's straps. It was a lighter, see-through material compared to the dress, covered in red and blue crystals no longer than an inch on the bottom half. She turned her back to the mirror and looked over her shoulder to get a good look at everything and giggled. It was simple, but Barbara felt so regal. Qume smiled and clapped as she did a twirl.

They sat back down, and Barbara continued answering Qume's questions about the human world, mostly about being a doctor. Barbara could hear the sound of talking and murmuring outside the cave increasing. Qume saw her curious glance at the curtain. "The ceremony will be starting soon," she explained. Barbara felt her nerves building, but also blinked when her stomach growled. It was loud enough for Qume to hear, and the troll giggled. "We should get you something to eat."

Barbara smiled grimly. "Unfortunately, troll food is not something I can eat. I'll have to ask Bagdwella for my bag; I had food in it." But before she could get up to do just that, the smell of cooked fish reached her nose, and she felt her mouth water instantly. 

Bagdwella went to the curtain to investigate and returned with a large flat stone with a whole fish on it, a wooden bowl full of apples, and a fork. The other trolls sniffed and scoffed at the display ("How can you do that to perfectly good fish!" Glug cried) but Barbara thought it looked like the most delicious food in the world. Bagdwella placed it in front of Barbara, and she saw a piece of paper under the bowl that simply had one word on it with Walt's neat handwriting: _Eat_. Barbara shook her head. Why were the men in her life always having to take care of her?

"Who is it from?" Qume asked after she had gulped down several bites. "Stricklander," she said around a mouthful of delicious fish.

Qume gave her a knowing look. "Maybe he wishes to be more than a friend. Would you like him to be your champion?"

Barbara thought over the question as she chewed. There was so much to analyze in their relationship that Barbara didn't know where to start. His disappearance, her remembering _why_ he disappeared in the first place, using her to get to Jim, the magical bond, nearly killing her with that bond.

But there was the fact he came back, came back and helped Jim, came back and helped her, came back and saved her, came back and fought by Jim's side. That night that he showed up on her doorstep with the bottle of wine, she had slammed the door in his face (_on_ his face really), but there was a part of her that would not let that go: _he came back_. She should hate him, shun him, and she was sure he expected that, but _he came back_ and would stay by her side, not planning anything more but to be there when she needed him.

"Yes," she admitted after some thought, "I would like him to be my champion. But..." she sighed, "I doubt he will be."

"Why?"

"It just seems so... public, for him. Standing up and declaring he would like for me to spend the night with him. Confessing that he wants me in front of all trollkind. I just don't see him doing it."

Qume looked thoughtful for a moment. "They say Nauna doesn't always give you the one you want, but sometimes the one you need. Maybe you are the one Stricklander needs, and she will change his mind." Barbara smiled at her optimism.

She ate as much of the fish she could (the fish was huge) and ate one apple and then gave the rest to the gnomes. They devoured everything, and nothing was left, not even the fork.

The sounds of talking and trolls moving kept building. At one point, it became brighter outside of the curtain, and Barbara could make out the outline of large bodies moving. The others were getting excited, but Barbara could only feel herself getting more nervous, fighting the urge to chew her thumbnail off. The Krubera put on a necklace of glowing crystals to finish her look and gave one last look in the mirror. 

"Alright, ladies, it's tiiiimmmmee!" announced Bagdwella, and Barbara suddenly regretted eating so much as her stomach flipped. Bagdwella had them stand in a line, Barbara assuming it was the order that they signed the contract since she was last and Qume was in front of her. Bagdwella went down the line, inspecting them and help them with last-minute details. When she got to Barbara, she smiled, but Barbara could barely give a small smile in return. "Don't worry, Barbara, it will be fine. You will get a champion." Somehow Barbara was not reassured.

Bagdwella stepped outside, and after a few minutes, she opened it, and the first female stepped through to the sound of applause and cheers. Several minutes later, it was the second troll's turn. Then the third, then Glug, then the one who looked like Nomura, leaving Barbara and Qume. Qume straighten up, and her face became solemn, and Barbara could see the start of a beautiful queen in front of her. She squeezed the troll's arm, and Qume gave her a huge grin in return. Then Bagdwella opened the curtain, and Qume strode out. There were cheers, but Barbara could hear some boos too, and it made her heart hurt. Qume was nothing like Usurna, and she didn't deserve the abuse. Barbara vowed to talk to Blinky after this was over to see if he could do anything about it.

She was then alone, and Barbara felt like her nerves would explode any minute. Her hands were shaking, and the fish was sitting like lead in her stomach. Barbara, who had never been religious, took a deep breath and talked to the only being she thought might be listening at that point. "Nauna, please convince Aaarrrgghh!! to not be my champion. I think Qume needs him more than me. And if you can't give me the one I want, please at least make it someone who realizes I'm not a troll and who is gentle. I don't want to be crushed in my sleep tonight." Oddly enough, talking about her fears out loud helped, and when Bagdwella opened the curtain, she stepped out with more confidence than she had felt all evening and with her head held high.

* * *

Barbara had to blink in the bright light a few times to let her eyes adjust. Bagdwella gently nudged her, and she stepped forward. Just outside of the curtain, there was a troll carrying a wooden platform with a chair on it. The chair was a dining room chair that someone had thrown out because one leg was broken, but someone had layered large crystals behind it to match the ones she was wearing. A second troll got down on one knee so she could use him like stairs to step up onto the platform, one foot on his knee and then the next on his shoulder. "Thank you," she said as she sat down. "Whatever," he responded, but smiled at her anyway.

They traveled down a slight hill into the crowd, and Barbara could see they were moving along the left side of some kind of hole in the floor that she couldn't see into from her angle. It seemed as wide as a football field and twice as long. There was a mountain troll at the other end, helping the Chosen onto a platform several stories up. Barbara could see Qume on the right, traveling on a stone platform with a throne made of glowing stones to match her own, four Krubera trolls carrying her throne. Babara only hoped the crowd was being kind as she saw Qume waving to them. 

To Barbara's left was stadium-like seating, where trolls could go to sit down and see what was happening in the pit. She looked around and was able to spot Walt and Nomura, sharing a small ledge on the wall higher than the seating area. They shared identical scowls and crossed arms as they watched the crowd for any fights. Nomura finally looked in her direction, and her face broke into a look that reminded Barbara of a kid in a candy store. Nomura started to elbow Walt in the ribs sharply, and he turned towards her, mouth opening to probably yell at the magenta changeling until he caught sight of Barbara, and his mouth hung open in shock instead.

Barbara waved at the pair, and Nomura waved back, using her other hand to not-so-gently close Walt's mouth. That snapped Walt out of his daze, and he turned to her and started yelling, although Barbara couldn't hear him over the crowd. They moved out of sight, and Barbara allowed herself to laugh.

They had made their way to the end with the mountain troll, and they waited while the troll was helping Qume onto the platform. Other trolls were reaching for her and shaking her hands, pressing gems and flowers into them. They were all talking at once, and Barbara was only catching some of the things they were saying.

"-ood of you to be here, the Trollhunter's own mo-"

"-ank the Trollhunter for me, he saved my entire fami-"

"-re the first human to be Nauna's Chosen, fitting since your son was the first human Tro-"

"-ank you, thank you, thank you, for all you did during the ba-"

It was all overwhelming, especially since she didn't do any of the actual fighting at the Battle of Eternal Night, but their appreciation for just being Jim's mother was so easy to see.

Suddenly Barbara was moving upwards at an alarming rate, and she turned to see the mountain troll was lifting her to the platform, chair, and all. Barbara recognized it as the one that had let her and Aaarrrgghh!! into the mountain to begin with, with the tree growing out of its shoulder. When it had gently placed her on the floor, it rested its chin on the platform and took a big sniff. The force of its inhale was enough to make Barbara's clothes move. It hummed and said something in Trollish. Qume leaned over from Barbara's left and translated: "He says you small better now. Like a troll." Barbara got up and gave him a curtsy. He smiled, stepped back, and gave her a slow bow in return.

As the mountain troll sat down below them and the crowd started filling the seats, Barbara was able to see into the pit below for the first time. It wasn't much to look at, with just a few raised areas and walls. Barbara wasn't sure how this Gauntlet would be a challenge to anyone, especially someone training to be the Trollhunter.

There was a blur to Barbara's right, and suddenly Nomura was there, hanging from the wall above Barbara, leaning so her head was next to her's. She was all teeth as her grin took up most of her face. "Barbarrrraaaa, you look mmmarrrvelous!"

Barbara was pretty sure she was being made fun of, but she smiled at the changeling. "Thank you, Nomura, I feel marvelous." Qume was leaning from her left, staring with open curiosity at the changeling. Nomura laughed and looked towards Walt, who was at the other end of the Gauntlet talking to Blinky. "And if that avocado-colored vulture doesn't tell you this evening, he thinks you look _stunning_." Barbara felt her face blush at that.

Nomura leaned in closer and whispered, "Strickler told me what NotEnrique did." Qume sensed that they were having a private conversation, and she moved away, but Nomura decided to lean closer anyway. "Please let me know if you ever tell Jim because I really want to see him pound the little devil into dust."

"At this point, I don't care if we ever find him," Barbara confessed, "I just want to make sure I don't get crushed by a troll tonight."

Nomura smiled. "Don't worry; we will make sure you are ok." And with that she left, Barbara was left wondering what she meant by "we."

Blinky then stepped up and extended his arms, and his voice must have been magically enhanced, because what he said next came out loud and clear for Barbara: "Brethren."

The Gauntlet fell silent, and Blinky's speech came in loud and clear for every troll in attendance that night.

"Tonight, we celebrate the festival of Nauna. We celebrate our family. Our mates. Our whelps. We honor love. We feast for those that can not be here with us because Gunmar took them from us. Let us not mourne this day, but let us move forward. Let us revel in the things that prove that we are _alive_. Let us love. Let us live. Let us be everything that Gunmar was not!"

Every troll in the Gauntlet yelled at that point, and the noise was deafening. Nauna's Chosen stood to clap, and Barbara joined them.

Blinky waited until the noise died down, and he continued. "Tonight let us honor Nauna's Chosen:

"Kiya, daughter of Zulja!" The first troll stood and bowed.

"Suja, daughter of Tsaijo!" The second troll waved.

"Girisha, daughter of Makali!" The third troll curtsied.

"Glug, daughter of Mug!" Glug stood on her chair and grasped her hands together to wave them above her head.

"Fefeya, daughter of Jinthaiya!" She stood and waved.

"Qume, daughter of Nelina!" Qume stood and bowed slightly at the waist.

"Barbara Lake, mother of James Lake Jr., the Trollhunter!"

The Gauntlet erupted in thunderous applause, and Barbara stood to wave at the crowd, slightly embarrassed with all the attention. 

"Welcome, ladies and gentletrolls, to the Gauntlet!" Blinky then grabbed a lever by his side and pulled it, and the sound of gears and machinery moving started, almost drowning out the crowd. Things began slowly moving in the pit, and at first, it was hard to see what exactly was going on. But as it started to speed up, it became clear why this was a place the Trollhunters would train.

The first section in front of Blinky was made of two dozen moving walls, the two sides moved independently of each other, sometimes slowing pressing together and occasionally crashing together with a boom. The second section was an area where spikes randomly shot from the ground, each one as thick as Barbara's arm. The third section had five large stones, each taller than Aaarrrgghh!!, that looked innocent at first, but as the Gauntlet came to life, random licks of flames blasted out. There was a little warning as Barbara could a high pitch whistle before the flare would appear, but it only lasted a few seconds at most before a blue flame materialized.

Large, sharp curved blades made the next section, at least eight of them, following a wide arc that covered the whole field. They moved randomly and at different speeds, making their path hard to track. In the next section, the floor was divided into tiles that would flip randomly, sometimes spinning several times before flattening out. The last part had holes on the opposite walls where black blurs were shooting from one side to the other, making a soft _shoomp_ sound every time the blur disappeared.

It was all moving at random times and speeds, making it all hard to predict and plan. As the last obstacle, the mountain troll put up a large tree higher than the platform on which the Chosen sat, a rope as thick as Barbara's waist tied to it. There was a bell at the top of the rope, and Barbara wondered if that was Walt's addition or if it was just coincidence that they were using Coach Lawrence's favorite exercise tool. Blinky was laughing like a madtroll at the sight of the Gauntlet moving, and Barbara could almost make out Walt rolling his eyes at Blinky's antics.

"Let the games begin!' cried Blinky, and he hit a gong that was by his side.

* * *

Three male trolls made their way to the area in front of Blinky, and Kiya clapped and squealed in delight. "The first to ring the bell will win Kiya's hand!" The three trolls all started to push each other and hype up the crowd playfully. Blinky rang the gong, and they were off. They all made it past the first two sections unscathed, but just as the troll in the lead made it past a wall of spikes, he was hit in the face with a fireball and collapsed. Almost the whole crowd grimaced, and Barbara gasped and covered her mouth in shock. The other two trolls kept running, and Aaarrrgghh!! dropped down to rescue the unconscious troll before he was hit with another fireball.

They made it through the giant curved blades, but one troll found himself wedged in a rotating tile on the floor. The last troll kept going, the crowd cheering him on. Some of the projectiles hit him in the last section, and Barbara could now see that they were round black stones about the size of her fist. They made the troll yelp in pain, but Barbara had a feeling if she was hit with one of them that the damage would be much worse.

The wedged troll finally got himself unstuck, but his opponent was halfway up the rope. The bell rang, and the crowd went wild as Fiya's champion leaped onto the platform panting and grinning. Fiya met him with a hug, and they started to nuzzle.

Blinky hit his gong again, and two male trolls dropped down to win Suja's hand. Barbara checked on the hurt troll from the first trial, and she saw him in the crowd, shaken but awake, some trolls trying to get him to drink some glug. So far, Blinky's plan to keep everyone safe seemed to be working. The gong went off again, and the two trolls went off running. They made it through the moving walls, but one troll yelped when a spike hit his arm. They were neck and neck, but the second troll became trapped by a giant blade, pinned to the ground as it came down. The free troll kept going and was able to climb the rope and ring the bell before the first other one was released from the blade by Nomura. Suja meet her champion with open arms and gently inspected his arm for damage as they cuddled.

The gong went off a third time, and four trolls dropped down this time. One of them seemed to be a little hostile as he tried to push one of the others, and Blinky yelled a warning to him. It didn't seem to work, however, because as soon as Blinky rang the gong to signal that they start the aggressive troll, grabbed a red troll to fight as the other two trolls ran the Gauntlet. Walt and Nomura descended into the pit to keep an eye on the fight, but they were not needed as the aggressive troll was getting beaten up by his intended victim. They locked horns and spun a couple of times, the red troll shaking off his attacker and flipping him. The aggressor was knocked out, and the red troll started to run as the crowd cheered. Nomura kicked the downed troll to add insult to injury.

As they were fighting, the other two had continued in the Gauntlet, but one was stuck on a spike that somehow got lodged in his horns. The second one was trapped between the giant blades and the rotating tiles, not able to move forward or backward. This allowed the red troll to catch up, and they were tied running through the flying black stones. The second troll had a stone hit him on the temple, and he was knocked out, making the crowd let out a collective gasp. The red troll kept running, climbing the rope and ringing the bell in triumph. The audience lost their minds cheering and stomping their feet, and Girisha clapped and welcomed him with open arms.

Blinky pulled the lever again, and the Gauntlet stopped moving as the changelings and Aaarrrgghh!! collected everyone to get them to safety. Barbara took the chance to look over at the couples that were nuzzling and cuddling. So far, the matches seemed to be working well for the Chosen. Qume saw her curious glance and smiled. "Nauna has made good choices in champions so far," she commented, and Barbara saw her look for Aaarrrgghh!! in the crowd as he comforted one of the losers. Barbara was still hopeful that Walt was able to convince him to be Qume's champion.

Once everyone was out of the way, Blinky started the Gauntlet back up and rang the gong to signal that it was Glug's trial. Only one troll fell into the pit, a single green troll that looked exactly like Glug. The crowd jeered at her, but Glug seemed happy to see her. Barbara was startled to see a female running the Gauntlet and turned to Qume. "Females can win the hand of the Chosen?" Barbara asked. "Of course," said Qume. "The festival celebrates all relationships." Barbara considered what she said for a moment. Maybe that is what Nomura had meant, that she would run in the Gauntlet for Barbara and not Walt.

Blinky hit his gong, and the green troll started running, her short legs taking her as fast as she could go. Barbara was reminded of Toby all of a sudden, not athletic at all, but doing her best. The crowd was yelling at her but not in encouragement. They laughed when the little troll screeched as two walls slammed behind her.

Barbara was upset at the way she was being treated and decided to change it. She leaned over and looked at Glug. "What is her name?" asked Barbara. Glug was looking in terror at her would-be champion as she dodged spikes, and didn't look at Barbara as she answered: "We-Wa."

Barbara took a deep breath, and with the voice born from many baseball practices and games, she belted out: "Go We-Wa!" The other Chosen looked at her like she was crazy as she started to whoop and yell support for the little troll. The little troll briefly looked Barbara's way but kept her eye on the fireballs shooting out from the big rocks in front. She got past them, and Barbara gave a loud "Way to go!"

As We-Wa made zig-zags back and forth to avoid the giant blades, Qume joined Barbara in shouting motivation. The little troll was huffing and panting, but now she had a small smile on her face as she came to the rotating floor tiles. She started to run across but was caught in a rotating tile. She was flung to the wall, hitting with a thud. The crowd gasped and cringed, but Barbara kept cheering. "Get up; you can do it!"

We-Wa picked herself up and started running again, this time avoiding any rotating tiles. The crowd and the entire group of Chosen were on their feet, yelling support. When We-Wa came to flying black stones, she ran as fast as she could, yelping as a stone hit her hair but not stopping. She got to the rope and started climbing. She shimmied up the rope as fast as she could, and she was breathing hard when she finally hit the bell. The gathered trolls went wild as the mountain troll helped the little one onto the platform. Glug hugged her champion and then beamed at Barbara. "Thank you!" she said, and Barbara smiled back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to give Glug's champion a name based on the Seminole Indian language, considering the tribe is from Florida. She was going to be the word for mud but appartently that is "fuc-ke." No joke. So she became We-Wa, which means water, instead.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trials continue but protecting Barbara becomes more difficult with the appearance of a troll who is not playing by the rules.

For the next few minutes, there was chaos in the Gauntlet, as Glug and We-Wa's tribe broke out in song and dance for the little green trolls. Several rounds of "Boom! Boom! Shake the room! Say whhhatttt!" was sung, and at one point, even Aaarrrgghh!! got in on the dancing. Blinky stood by and let the small trolls celebrate, but he hit his gong to signal that they were moving on. 

Three males dropped into the pit then for Fefeya's trial. One looked like an oversized goblin, pill-shaped body with stick-thin arms and legs and grey skin. One looked like Jim's friend Draal, but with pomegranate colored skin and dark purple horns. The Draal look-alike was acting strange, panting, and snorting as he waited for the next gong. He seemed twitchy and aggravated, and it reminded Barbara of some of the drug addicts she had seen in her time as a doctor.

Blinky rang the gong, and the Draal double curled up into a spinning ball of horns and spikes that slammed into the third troll without warning. The smaller troll screamed and started to run that Gauntlet, either to win while the other two were fighting or to get as far as possible. The fight seemed different from the one before, the purple troll trying to cause as much damage as possible, not realizing the whole point was to run the Gauntlet. Nomura and a changeling jumped down to intervene, but the troll ignored them as they tried to beat him with sticks. It wasn't until Walt attacked from above and broke a thick branch on the troll's head did he stop in his assault. He turned from the troll and rounded on the changelings, wide-eyed and panting. "I am Alzurr the Almighty, and no impure dare attack me!"

The small troll had made it to the rotating tiles. He yelped when he was thrown against a wall and that finally got Alzurr's attention. Alzurr roared at the changelings, making the third changeling fall on his backside and scramble away. Only Walt and Nomura stood their ground, and both watched him warily as he started to run the Gauntlet. He had only made it to the fireballs, however, when the small troll clambered up the rope and rang the bell. He jumped onto the platform with the Chosen, but Fefeya didn't meet him with the enthusiasm that the others had met their champions, and he awkwardly sat next to her throne. Walt and Nomura helped the beaten troll out of the Gauntlet and then joined Blinky and Aaarrrgghh!! to watch Alzurr pace in front of them.

Barbara leaned over to Qume and whispered to her. "He is not acting normal, is he?" Qume shook her head. "No, he is not. He is hostile for no reason."

Barbara fought the urge to bite her thumbnail as Alzurr continue to pace. "What does the word impure mean? It's the second time I have heard it today." Qume looked uncomfortable as she considered Barbara's question, also watching the purple troll as he paced. Her trial was next, and if he was competing, she might have to be the one to deal with him. "It is a term some trolls use for changelings. It is not considered polite."

Barbara looked at her, keeping Alzurr in the corner of her eye like he was a dangerous animal that should be watched at all times. "Is it a slur?" she asked. Qume looked confused at the word, and Barbara explained. "A terrible word, meant to be an insult." Qume reflected on what she said and nodded. "It means changelings are not full trolls. Not as good as trolls."

Barbara looked at Walt and Nomura and wondered how many times they have heard the insult to make them seem immune to someone roaring it in their face. Blinky was gesturing wildly with all four arms, pointing at Aluzrr mostly, but sometimes a finger was thrust in her direction. Barbara hoped he was going to throw Alzurr out, but at one point, Blinky sighed and hit the gong. Alzurr stayed in the pit, Blinky giving him a sharp look.

Two Krubera warriors and three other trolls carefully joined Alzurr in the pit, the most trolls to try to run the Gauntlet yet. One troll got too close to Alzurr, and he bellowed, making the other troll scrambled out of the Gauntlet. Aaarrrgghh!! was still standing with Blinky, looking from Alzurr to Qume to Barbara, obviously torn on what to do. Barbara caught his eye and gestured to Qume, her hand palm up. _Go ahead_, she was trying to say. _She's all yours_.

Aaarrrgghh!! broke out in a grin that she could see from the other side of the Gauntlet, and with a roar, he jumped into the pit. The two trolls who were not Krubera quickly climbed out of the Gauntlet, deciding it was not worth fighting both Aaarrrgghh!! and Alzurr for Qume's hand. Blinky started yelling, although Barbara couldn't tell what he was saying over the rumble of the crowd as they saw Aaarrrgghh!! and Alzurr circle each other. Walt seemed to be trying to calm Blinky down while Qume was clapping at seeing Aaarrrgghh!! join in. Aaarrrgghh!! quickly went to the two Krubera and said something to them. They looked at Alzurr and then Qume, and both nodded agreement to whatever he had said. They lined up to start, ignoring the purple troll as he growled at them.

Blinky was still arguing with Walt, his upper arms tearing at his hair and ears while his lower arms were pointed at Barbara. Nomura lazily picked up the mallet and hit the gong. Blinky opened his mouth in shock and then turned to watch what was going to happen in the Gauntlet.

Alzurr dropped into his spinning ball again, launching himself at Aaarrrgghh!!. The hulking troll knew what was coming, shielding himself with his arms and bracing for impact. Sparks flew as Alzurr's spikes tore into Aaarrrgghh!! stone skin. The lines on Aaarrrgghh!! started to glow green as he snarled at the attacking purple troll. The other two Krubera ran into the Gauntlet, but one stopped after the moving walls, and the other stopped after getting through the spikes. When they were in position, Aaarrrgghh!! grabbed his attacker and flung Alzurr into a wall before he started running himself.

Aaarrrgghh!! went past the other Krubera and even went through the fireballs but stopped before he got to the giant blades. Barbara suddenly realized what they were doing. It was no longer about winning Qume's hand but making sure that Alzurr did not win. As long as they worked together to keep him from ringing the bell, she was safe. 

The Krubera were protecting their Queen.

Alzurr had picked himself off of the ground and ran through the moving walls to try to fight the first Krubera warrior standing in front of the spikes. They violently hit their horns together and pushed each other back and forth. The Krubera started moving back into the area where the spikes were coming out of the ground. He was able to grab Alzurr's larger horns and hold his head in such a way that a spike went through them, and Alzurr was now wedged on it. The Krubera ran while Alzurr roared in rage, running past Aaarrrgghh!! and past the giant curved blades. The crowd was on their feet, cheering the Krubera on and laughing at Alzurr.

The spike retracted, and Alzurr was able to move. He ran to the second Krubera warrior who retreated closer to the stones that released the fireballs. The Krubera waited until he heard a whistle, and then he ducked, letting Alzurr get a faceful of fire. Alzurr roared in pain and fury, and the second Krubera ran to the space between the rotating tiles and the flying black balls. The purple troll tried fighting with Aaarrrgghh!! but he just waited until a blade appeared and pushed Alzurr into its path. Qume and Barbara joined the crowd in cheering. Now that Alzurr was utterly stuck, Aaarrrgghh!! was free to run past the flying balls, and he started climbing the rope. 

Alzurr was able to get loose, and he started running for Aaarrrgghh!!. The other two Krubera tried to stop him, but he barely seemed to register that they were holding onto him, he was so focused on Aaarrrgghh!!. He was able to launch himself into the air, but by then, Aaarrrgghh!! hit the bell, and the trial was over. The crowd went wild.

Aaarrrgghh!! jumped to the platform. Panting, he smiled at Qume, and she stood to greet him. They gently rubbed foreheads, and the lines of Aaarrrgghh's body glowed green while Qume's glowed blue. Barbara smiled at the sight, knowing she did the right thing in making sure Aaarrrgghh!! was Qume's champion.

Suddenly there was a thud, and Alzurr was on the platform, eyes wide and erratic. Barbara screamed in surprise, and everyone else jumped. He growled at Aaarrrgghh!! but didn't make a move to attack. "I demand to be with one of the Chosen," he simply said panting. Qume put a hand on Aaarrrgghh!!'s arm and shook her head. "Aarghaumont won the trial. You can not be my champion."

Alzurr turned his head to Barbara. "Then the fleshbag will have to do," and he reached out to grab her, and Barbara closed her eyes and braced herself to be snatched.

Barbara waited a couple of moments, but when she wasn't grabbed, she cracked an eye open to see what happened. She was shocked to see Walt in front of her using a thick tree branch to block Alzurr's hand. Alzurr looked perplexed, like the last thing he expected was a changeling to appear out of nowhere and have the audacity to block him. Walt shoved the branch at the purple troll, and all Alzurr could do was stand there holding it. "Sod off," Walt growled.

Alzurr recovered some of his wits. He snarled and flexed his fist, and the branch shattered. He moved towards Walt and growled. Walt returned the rumble, and Barbara was worried that they would break out fighting right then and there until Aaarrrgghh!! moved between them. "No demand. Must win."

Qume stood next to Barbara and placed a hand on her shoulder. Barbara realized that she was shaking like a leaf when she reached to cover the troll's hand with her own, and her hand trembled, but she tried to glare at Alzurr anyway. "You must win the trial to be Barbara's champion." The statement was delivered as an order, not a request, and Alzurr snorted and leaped off the platform. Barbara let out a shaky breath, and she squeezed Qume's hand in thanks.

Walt dropped to one knee in front of her and leaned to whisper to her. "You alright?" he asked. She gave him a grateful smile and then closed the distance between them to bump his forehead with hers. He looked stunned at the Trollish gesture of affection, but softly smiled and gently pushed back. There was a blur and thump behind him, and Nomura straightened up and yelled: "What the actual FUCK?!". Walt rolled his eyes as Barbara let out a laugh that turned into a snort because of her nerves. He got up in one fluid motion and joined Nomura and Aaarrrgghh!! in watching Alzurr pace at the beginning of the Gauntlet.

"What the hell is he on, Grave Sand?" asked Nomura, arms folded. Barbara got up to see what was happening and linked her arm with Walt's. Blinky was yelling at the purple troll, but Aluzrr paid him no attention. "What is Grave Sand? Some kind of performance drug?" she asked.

Walt shooked his head. "Only if you consider the emotion of anger performance-enhancing. I don't think it is Grave Sand, but something similar. Ironically enough, he may have won the first trial if he hadn't taken it in the first place. Now his pride won't let him leave here without being with one of the Chosen."

"Couldn't you throw him out?" asked Barbara. Aaarrrgghh!! hummed worriedly. "No proof," he answered. "Sorry." 

Barbara put a hand on his arm. "Don't apologize, Qume needed you." Aaarrrgghh!! smiled at her in gratitude.

Nomura let out a groan and slumped her shoulders like a teenager. "This is going to hurt, isn't it?" she asked. Walt nodded. "It most certainly will."

"I take back what I said earlier; I am killing NotEnrique," Nomura said. "Get in line," replied Walt. "Me first," Barbara added.

Nomura leered at Barbara. "Have any favours for your champions? Handkerchief? Piece of jewelry? Panties?" Walt growled at her, and she stepped off the platform, laughing, running to the beginning of the Gauntlet.

"Champions?" Barbara asked Walt. Walt nodded. "Aaarrrgghh!!'s strategy is the best. Nomura and myself against Alzurr. We will make sure one of us wins, and he does not." Walt bent quickly and kissed her on the hand. "Of course, now I have to make sure to win, so Nomura doesn't seduce you."

Barbara laughed but quickly sobered. "Please be safe, both of you." Blinky rang the gong, and there was a flash of green light, and Walt's wings appeared. He gave her hand a squeeze and stepped off the platform to fly away.

* * *

Walt joined Alzurr and Nomura at the beginning of the Gauntlet. He landed on Alzurr's right while Nomura stayed to his left. Alzurr looked enraged at the presence of the changelings. He started yelling at them, but both of them looked bored at his rantings. Walt checked his talons, and Nomura yawned. Barbara suddenly realized how much smaller the changelings seemed compared to the troll. He looked like he could break them over his knee like sticks. The troll spectators didn't seem to know what to do, murmuring to themselves. They could either cheer for the troll that was trying to cheat or they could cheer for the changelings.

At one point, the crowd was so quiet that Barbara could make out what Alzurr was saying.

"-actly do you think you changelings would do with a Chosen?" he raved.

"Same as you, big boy, only ten times better," said Nomura.

"And ten times longer," replied Walt.

Qume happened to look over at Barbara. "Barbara, you have turned red, are you alright?" Aaarrrgghh!! chuckled at Barbara's tomato-red complexion.

Seeing that no other trolls were joining the trial, Blinky hit the gong. What happened next was so fast that Barbara barely registered what occurred. Alzurr once again dropped into a ball and went after Walt. Walt knew what was coming and leaped backward so that the spinning purple ball of death hit the wall. Nomura took the opportunity to sprint forward and run through the moving walls. Walt coiled like a spring below Blinky and used his wings to surge forward and run past Nomura to wait between the spikes and fireballs.

Alzurr recovered and started to run after the changelings. A pair of walls were about to come together on him, but he smashed them instead. Blinky wailed at the destruction, but Alzurr ignored him. Alzurr started trying to punch Nomura, but she kept out of his reach, avoiding his fists and spikes at the same time. Alzurr was so focused on hitting her that a spike hit his jaw, and he roared in frustration. The crowd cheered for Nomura and laughed at Alzurr. Nomura took the chance to fall back and wait between the fireballs and the giant blades. Alzurr started to destroy the spikes, bending them in his fury. Blinky wailed at the sight.

Alzurr rounded on Walt. Walt was trying to get him to stand in the middle of the stones so that a fireball would hit him, but Alzurr was not falling for that trick again. When a high pitch whistle sounded Alzurr hit the rock with all his might, and the rock cracked and broke in half. Walt retreated with Alzurr right behind him. Alzurr got ahold of Walt and threw him so that he sailed through the giant blades and was hit by a rotating tile and hit the wall on his right shoulder. The crowd gasped as Walt gave a shout of pain and folded. Barbara cried out and covered her eyes but opened them when she heard Nomura yell.

Nomura and Alzurr were circling each other in the giant blades. Alzurr was trying to punch her but was hitting the blades instead, leaving dents in the metal the size of car tires. Nomura was able to kick his chest and send him sprawling on the ground where a blade was able to pin him. She ran from him and got to the bottom of the rope, holding onto it but not climbing. "Move your ass, Strickler!" she yelled.

While Walt was picking himself off the floor, holding his right arm in pain, Alzurr was fighting the blade that pinned him. He started hitting it and pushing until something cracked, and all the blades stopped moving. He ran towards the rope, and Nomura growled and started climbing. When Nomura was half-way up the rope, Alzurr launched himself in the air and grabbed her. She tried to hold on but couldn't keep her grip. When they plummeted to the floor, Alzurr threw her against the wall, and she yelled in pain, clutching her leg.

Walt ran towards the purple troll dodging the flying black stones. Alzurr saw him coming and stood with arms out in the universal gesture of "Come at me, bro." When Walt was close enough, he crouched down while running to grab a handful of dirt and flung it into Alzurr's eyes. Alzurr roared in pain, and Nomura gave a loud "Ha!" in response, the crowd, Barbara, Qume, and Aaarrrgghh!! cheering for Walt. Walt ducked so that he was behind Alzurr.

When Alzurr had recovered, he starting looking for Walt, but the changeling stayed in what must have been his blind spot. Alzurr snorted and addressed the crowd. "The impure must have run away scared." A few of the trolls responded, telling him to turn around, to look behind him, but he either didn't hear them or ignored them as he started to scale the rope. Most of the crowd seemed to want to see what Walt would do next.

Walt reached out with his left hand and caught one of the round black stones in mid-air. He tested its weight and then called out. "Alzurr!"

The purple troll paused on the rope and turned so that he was facing Walt. "Let me introduce you to rule number three!" Walt yelled and lobbed the stone at Alzurr, hitting him in the groin.

The audience groaned, and Alzurr let go of the rope with one hand to grab himself, his face a mask of pain. Walt hurried up the rope, climbing pass Alzurr and kicking him in the face on his way up. Alzurr let go of the rope entirely and fell to the floor, finally knocked out completely.

Walt climbed and hit the bell, and every troll in the Gauntlet got on their feet and applauded. He leaped to the platform and collapsed on the floor panting. Barbara joined him on the floor, laughing and kissing him on the cheek over and over. Aaarrrgghh!! went over to them and held out a fist. Walt smiled and hit the offered fist with his knuckles.

Barbara laughed in relief and leaned in so Walt could hear her over the cheers. "My champion." And he smiled even wider and bumped her forehead with his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next update may take longer to post, but it will be two chapters at once, so apologies in advance for the wait.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barbara spends the night with her champion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If I could mark this chapter as explicit, I would, but I can't, so proceed at your own risk. If you wish to pass the gooey, mushy stuff, the next chapter is sex free and wraps up everything for you.

Barbara was still hugging Walt when the mountain troll's hand suddenly picked them up and put them on a round flat stone. It quickly lowered the flat rock to the crowd, and they were carried out of the Gauntlet. Walt was growling and tense as the trolls cheered and celebrated around him. Several months ago, a mob of this size would be calling for his head on a stake, and he wasn't accustomed to the praise. Barbara gently put a hand on his arm, and he seemed to relax a little.

Qume and Aaarrrgghh!! were behind them, waving and smiling at the masses. Aaarrrgghh!! saw Barbara looking back at them and starting waving madly at her. She laughed and waved back.

Barbara expected the crowd to stop in the hallway of private rooms, but they continued to the central open area. Seven large, round objects covered in white fabric waited for them. When the crowd started to file in, a mountain troll started turning a crank, and one of the pieces of white fabric began to lift into the air. It was attached to a shallow round bowl made out of wood that was at least twelve feet wide, the white fabric acting as a tent for privacy. When they were close enough, the trolls carrying them tossed them into the bowl through an opening, both of them giving out yelps as they landed on a pile of pillows and furs. There was a crystal at the top of the tent that gave enough light to see by. The bowl slowly ascended until they were almost to the ceiling, higher than even the tallest mountain troll.

When the bowl finally stopped, Barbara and Walt looked at each other. At the same moment, they burst out laughing. Deep, uncontrollable laughs that resulted in tears and hiccups and, in Walt's case, a snort. They would start to calm down, and then they would look at each other, and it would start all over again until they were both on their backs, clutching their aching sides. When the laughing fits finally passed, they realized that they were lightly embracing. They stayed like that for a few minutes, giggling and snickering but not moving away from each other. Barbara had a thought and started laughing again, trying to muffle herself in Walt's chest. "What?" he asked chuckling.

"You just fought for the hand of a thirty-five-year-old divorcée. I'm pretty sure some people would say you got the short end of the stick in this exchange," she explained, giggling.

"I didn't think you were that young," he said, and without thinking, she punched him on the right shoulder, making him hiss in pain.

"Oh! Sorry, sorry, I'm so sorry," she cried as he rubbed his shoulder. "No, no, I think I deserved that one." He looked around and spotted a few bottles at the edge of the bowl. He sat up and grabbed a brown bottle, and uncorking it with his teeth, he sniffed at it and grimaced. It must have been what he was looking for, however, because he took a swig of the liquid and then rubbed some on his shoulder. "I just didn't know you had Jim when you were that young."

"Well, that is what happens with unplanned pregnancies, Walt, they come at the worse times." She sat up and put a hand on his cheek. He froze and looked at her, and she kissed him.

It was hard with his nose and tusks, but it was possible to kiss him on the lips. He didn't respond, though, and Barbara stopped and leaned back. "Walt, what's wrong?"

He looked away. "Barbara, you don't have to... don't have to do anything for me. We just have to spend the night together."

"Walt, I know I don't _have_ to, but I would _like_ to unless you don't wan-oh, I see." She moved away from him and drew her knees to her chest.

"What is it?" he asked.

She gave him a small, sad smile. "I have been wondering why you have been so distant for the last few weeks, and I think I finally got it. You don't feel attracted to me anymore. It's alright; we can still be fri-"

She didn't get to finish her thought because he grabbed her and crushed her to his body in one fluid movement. One hand was in her hair, the other around her waist, kissing her with such force that it knocked the breath out of her. She moaned into the kiss and brought her hands to the back of his head to bring him closer, moving her legs so that her torso would be flushed with his. He brought both his hands up to cup her flushed face and gave her a small kiss. It was something he used to do all the time, a little kiss to finish a longer one, like the period at the end of a sentence. He leaned close to her ear and murmured. "Never take my hesitation as a sign of indifference."

"Then what is the ha-hesitation for?" she asked, slightly breathless.

"Barbara, I can't ask for forgiveness." He looked pained for a second. "Not that I won't ask for, just that I have no right to ask for it in the first place." He kept one hand on her check but moved back from her.

She smiled and held the hand that was on her face. "Oh, you big goof, you already have my forgiveness." His eyes widen in shock, and she moved so that she was next to him, head on his shoulder.

"When you disappeared, I was both hurt and angry," she started. "Hurt that you would go away without a word, and angry that you would do so knowing what happened with James. Then the memories came back, and I got _really_ angry."

"Barbara, I did-" Walt started, but she put a finger to his lips. "Sshhh, just wait." He gave her a worried look but closed his mouth to let her continue.

"One thing that made me upset was knowing that you were the only person I could turn to help. You were one of the few people to know what was happening, could explain it, could help with it. I needed to lean on you when I didn't want to. Because if I leaned on you, then you could see that as an opening to try to justify yourself. Try to use the help you gave us as a way back into my life."

She took his hand and laced her fingers with his. "But I started to notice that you didn't do that. You would come and help me anytime I needed it but didn't anticipate anything in return. Your help didn't have any strings attached to it. You were doing it selflessly, without an expectation of anything else in return."

He gently leaned in to kiss her on the top of her head, and she smiled. "So yes, you did a horrible thing, probably did lots of horrible things, but you are trying to change now, I can see that. So I forgive you, Walt, even though you didn't ask." She leaned back to look him in the eye. "It kinda helped that you let me hit you with a broom."

He snorted. She smiled but let her face become serious. "But I do have to say, Walt, if I find out you started to scheme again, to hurt anyone, not just my son, it will be over for us."

He shook his head. "My days of scheming are over. One thing I have come to realize is just how _tiring_ my old life was. I won't miss it." He sighed. "Well, I may miss teaching."

"You could probably go back to teaching. The people of Arcadia seem to be getting used to you," she said as she started to remove the cape. He had her turn so he could begin to cut the thread that was keeping the crown attached to her hair with one of his talons.

"Oh, yes, I can see how well that would go now. 'Mrs. Sullivan, I'm afraid I caught little Timothy cheating, and now I must eat him. Oh dear, she fainted.'"

Barbara laughed. "Well, I wouldn't tell the parents how delicious their children would be." He finished with her hair, and she massaged her scalp and groaned in pleasure as the crown's weight was lifted off of her head.

"Joke's on you," he replied. "I'm sure Timothy would taste horrid. I would just eat him to set an example."

She chuckled as she removed the necklace. She looked at the gem swords and carefully placed them to the side with her other decorations. She was going to ask Bagdwella if she could keep them, she loved them. She caught Walt staring at her. "What?" she asked with a grin.

"You look gorgeous this evening," he replied. She blushed and sat next to him again. "Nomura said you would say that."

He groaned. "I'll never hear the end of this. And if she rang that bell, she would have been insufferable."

"Why ask for her help, then?" Barbara asked.

"It was the only way Aaarrrgghh!! would decline to be your champion," Walt explained. "He insisted on having both myself and Nomura run the Gauntlet, just in case I couldn't do it. And that was before Alzurr the Awful showed up."

Barbara reached up to get him to bring his head lower so she could bump foreheads with him. "Thank you, Walt, formaking sure I didn't get crushed by a horny troll tonight."

Walt smiled but then got an apprehensive look on his face. "I meant what I said earlier. You are under no obligation to consort with me; we just have to spend the evening together."

"Well, I heard a rumor about changelings being ten times better for ten times longer and want to see if it's true," she joked.

Walt grinned, crossed his legs, and brought her into his lap. "That was a war taunt, Barbara; you can't hold me to it. It's more like three times better for five times longer."

She laughed, but it turned into a moan as Walt started kissing her throat.

Barbara started to realize just how much of a disadvantage she was in this situation. She was dealing with a whole new _body_ of his; stone skin that was cool to the touch, horns, wings, lower tusks, and sharp teeth. She wasn't sure what he would find pleasurable. Walt, on the other hand, knew most of her weak points, the places on her body he could touch, and she would turn into a pile of goo. He was kissing the place where her shoulder met her neck while rubbing her back at the same time, and she could feel butterflies in her stomach, which were slowly making their way _lower_.

Barbara tried running her hands up Walt’s stomach and chest, one of the things she at least knew he liked from the days that he was human. He made a small sound of agreement, but it wasn’t the sound of full-blown arousal she was looking for. She remembered the couples she had seen earlier and how male horns seemed to be sensitive, so she brought her hands up his neck and then through his hair. She reached the base of his horns then lightly ran her fingertips along the underside as far as she could reach in her position. He froze and let out a low rumble she could feel vibrate in her chest, his wings shaking slightly. She stopped. “Is that a good growl or a bad growl?” she asked, worried that she may have done something wrong.

“That was a ‘don’t bloody stop’ growl,” he responded, and she grinned and reversed her hands' direction, palms on the underside and fingertips on top, making him sigh into her neck.

She did it again, rubbing with her hands as far as she could reach and back again, and Walt lowered his face into her chest. She was going to rub his horns for a third time until she felt something wet slip into the gown between her breasts. His tongue, wider than a human's, slowly made it's way up her chest and throat until he finished with a nip to her earlobe.

It should have been disgusting, but Barbara found the rough tongue bath so arousing that she pushed her hips into his. He moaned and started running his hands up her outer thighs. His hands gently went up under the gown, talons lightly scratching wherever they went, stopping at her hips. They paused, and then he brought his hands to her backside. He lifted his head and looked at her. "Barbara," he said with a questioning tone. "Are you not wearing knickers?"

She blushed. "Remember when I said Bagdwella took my phone?" she asked. He nodded. "Well, she took all of my stuff. Including my underwear." He stared at her for a second and then barked a laugh.

"What?" she asked giggling.

"If I knew you were missing your undergarments, Barbara, I would have run the Gauntlet in half the time," he confessed, and she punched him in the shoulder, the left one this time. He chuckled and then started taking her gown off.

After Walt got the gown over her head, Barbara had a sudden feeling of shyness take over, and she tried to cover her chest with her arms. He tsked. "None of that now," he said, and he started nuzzling her collar bone while rubbing her naked back. Having the most sensitive part of her body paid attention to made Barbara relax again, and she sighed and brought her hands to the back of his head. He took the opportunity to suckle one breast while fondling the other.

Barbara sighed and moaned as Walt paid gentle attention to her chest. Whatever hand was not rubbing at her nipple, Walt would use to wandered down her stomach and thighs, using his knuckles to rub everywhere except where she wanted them to go. Then his head would switch sides, and the hands would change their positions, and the slow torture would continue. She didn't want to risk making him stop by rubbing his horns again, so she let her hands stray the lines etched into his body instead.

She was shuddering from the care when she felt herself shiver from the cold. Walt felt the shiver and lifted his head to look at her. "Cold?" he asked, and she nodded, a little upset that he had stopped. She yelped when he suddenly boosted her up with an arm under her backside, lifting her like she weighed nothing, as he grabbed a fur blanket and placed her on the pillows on her back. If the fur was from one animal is was huge, and Walt spent a few minutes tucking them both in. It was a soft and warm cocoon after he was done.

They stayed under the covers for a few minutes, kissing, Walt on top but leaning slightly to his left to keep from crushing her. Barbara tried reaching for his horns again, but he moved his head so that she couldn't reach. He grinned at her sound of disappointment and started kissing his way downwards, nipping and licking as he went. His hands served as a precursor to his lips, trailing down her stomach. She tried very hard not to giggle at the sight his horns made as they move under the fur but sighed when his mouth finally made it below her navel. His hands started to work on her thighs, and she opened them wider, although he wasn't touching her between her legs _just yet,_ teasing her. His mouth followed, biting down her left thigh, hand rubbing her calf. Her moans were getting louder and longer as he continued his careful attention to her skin.

She moaned when she finally felt hot breath on her wet sex, but he just moved to her right leg, nibbling the area right behind her knee. She had a thought and lifted the fur so she could see him. "W-Walt?" she asked, a little breathless. He cracked an eye open, and Barbara was slightly startled by its glow. He gave her a slow lick and then nuzzled her belly. "Yes, Barbara?"

"As much as I would love for you to do what I think you are thinking of doing, I don't think you should," she said. He hummed in frustration.

"Why not?" he asked. "Granted last time I did this, it was called 'tipping the velvet,' but I recall it being a pleasing experience."

"Tipping the vel-what?" Barbara giggled nervously. "No, I just get... loud, when... that happens. Most men I have been with complained."

"Oh, that is a problem," he stated as he made his way up from between her thighs. He had a wicked expression on his face and let his groin rub on her sex on his way up. She hoped that whatever material his loincloth was made of was waterproof because it would be ruined otherwise. She could feel his cock pressing into her, and he was undoubtedly excited considering how hard he was. He moaned as she pressed her hips into his and wrapped her legs around him; he bit into her collar bone. "You see, I want to hear from you, Barbara," he whispered into her ear, breathless. "And I want to make sure everyone else hears you too. I want them to know what a changeling can do with a human."

She laughed and rubbed her forehead to his. "Feeling petty?" she asked.

He hmmed and pressed his forehead down. "I don't want to upset you, but I do want to make you feel good," he explained, and Barbara blushed. "I will make you a deal," he continued. "If I do something you don't desire, just grab onto a horn."

"Won't that hurt?"

He shrugged. "It certainly will get my attention."

With a nod of agreement from Barbara, Walt started to make his way down again, faster than before. She watched him this time, running her hands through his hair as he licked and kissed his way to her open legs. When he made it back to her thigh, he smiled up at her before he bit down hard on her inner thigh and playfully growled.

"H-hey!" she squeaked, swatting at his nose. He just smiled evilly and started to suck while gently pressing down with his teeth. After a minute of enduring her smacks to his nose, he finally let go and lick the spot that he had abused. By the light of his eyes, she could see his dirty work; the suck mark was a red welt that would be purple tomorrow, the teeth marks light indents in her skin. No one would be able to see it unless they were between her legs precisely like he was now, but his intentions were clear. He was marking his territory. He gently blew onto the spot, and she shivered. "You're horrible," she said, but he just grinned in response.

He finally turned his attention to her sex, tips of his fingers lightly brushing her outer folds. Barbara let her head fall back and moaned. With his fingers wet he put pressure on her clit while one finger slid inside of her. Barbara squirmed and sighed as he started a slow pattern of pumping his finger in and out as his thumb massaged her clit. She made a keening noise when he added a second finger, biting her lip so that she wouldn't get any louder. She ran her fingers into his hair but left his horns alone, so he quickened his pace.

He removed his thumb, and she made a mewling sound, but it turned into a gasp when he replaced it with his tongue. He started where his fingers were inside her and slowly made his way up. His tongue was rougher than a human's so she could feel it as he got every inch of her inner lips. He did it again, with a little pressure on her clit. She covered her mouth to stop a howl of pleasure, but he reached up and pulled it away. She looked down to see that he was watching her reaction. She allowed herself to let out a loud moan, and he seemed to grin.

When Walt added a third finger, Barbara's control was lost entirely, and her moans and sighs were much more vocal. She didn't want anyone to think she was in distress though, so it became a constant stream of words that probably didn't make much sense.

"Oh god, oh yes, YES! Oh, fuck! Don't stop, don't stop, yesyesyesyes...!"

She didn't know how much of it he heard, however, because her thighs clamped on his head and her hands twisted in his hair. If he cared, he didn't move away or stop tongue or fingers.

He kept his pace, and she could feel the pressure building. Her muscles clenched, and it felt like every nerve was on fire, her heart was pounding, her legs were shaking, and she was so _close_...

Finally, she went over the edge, and she gave a loud moan as she shook. She threw an arm over her eyes as she panted. _Everything_ was tingling; how could _everything_ be tingling?

She was vaguely aware that he had moved back up and was kissing her throat. "Ten times better?" he murmured in her ear, and she weakly laughed, unable to even respond.

When she had somewhat recovered, she saw that Walt was reaching over her head, looking at the bottles. "What are those?" she asked as he ran a talon over the labels covered in what she assumed was Trollish.

"Aphrodisiacs, mostly," he explained.

"Do you need those?" she asked. The loincloth did nothing to hide Walt's erection, and Barbara didn't know why he would want one.

"Not an aphrodisiac that I'm loo-Ah, there it is." He picked up a green bottle that was in the shape of a corkscrew.

"What is it? she asked.

"Numbing agent," he simply said. He reached up to run a finger down the crustal that was lighting up the tent to dim it. He laid down next to her to rub his forehead on hers and cover them up with the giant fur.

"Who is the numbing agent for?" she asked, reaching up to rub a horn. He shuddered and sighed and dropped his head onto her shoulder. "Myself," he replied, breath hot on her throat.

She frowned slightly, not entirely understanding his line of thought. "Walt, why would you want to be numb? I want you to enjoy yourself."

"Oh, I am enjoying myself," he explained, moving so that he was on top. "But now I have a war taunt I have to live up to." He gave her a playful grin. "I do have one request, though."

Barbara, whose legs were still shaking as she wrapped them around his hips, would probably go over hot coals for him at that point, not that he needed to know that. "Depends on the request," she joked.

"No 'you're as hard as a rock' jokes. It's a favorite among changelings, and frankly, it gets old after a couple of centuries."

She grinned as he undid something at his waist, and the loincloth came off. "I'll try to keep the puns to a minimum," she joked as she ran her hands down his stomach, making him groan.

His cock was on the larger side but not abnormally so. Still, Barbara had to use two hands to cover his whole length, causing him to groan again. The skin was still stone but softer and warmer than anywhere else on his body. The color was darker, like with a human male, but in Walt's case, that meant the color of evergreen instead of jade.

She gave an experimental squeeze at the tip, and he sighed. The tent grew darker as he closed his eyes and moved his head to the side, making his neck crack, the sound of sticks breaking. He lowered his head and licked at her throat. She slowly started to stroke, and he shuddered again, wings shivering in response.

He allowed her to continue for a few minutes, his breathing becoming rougher, and the groans becoming louder. She gave him the hardest squeeze yet, and he moaned. "Barbara," he said, speaking her name like a prayer. She grinned and used her other hand to stroke a horn, mirroring the hand at his cock. That earned her a bite at her collarbone, one that was almost too painful.

"D-do you wish to proceed?" he asked, and she smiled at his being so breathless and formal at the same time. She nodded but also spoke. "Yes," she answered.

He used hands that were shaking to uncork the bottle, and Barbara held out her palm so he could pour some liquid onto it. She started the slow strokes again, feeling a tingling sensation on her palm that turned into a burning one. If it was hurting him, he didn't react, however. When her hand went numb, she gave him another tentative squeeze, but his reaction was not as strong as before. He lifted his hips and got into position between her legs.

He rested the head of his cock on her sex and paused, checking with her again. She bit her lip and moved her hips so that he slipped inside her. He smiled and pressed forward until he was half buried inside her, making her sigh.

He started to slowly pump his hips, a gradual and gentle tempo to help her get used to his size. He was gentle and responded to her every sigh and moan she made. She moved her hips with him, helping him to move deeper. He was running his hands on her stomach, hips, breasts, and neck, and when one hand made it to her cheek, it stayed there, thumb rubbing on her lips.

When he fully inside her, he paused and leaned back, taking in the sight of all of her. "Beautiful," he breathed. She blushed at the attention but rubbed her cheek on his hand.

When she felt ready, when she felt full but not stretched in pain, she moved her hips, and he smiled.

He adjusted his position where his arms were on either side of her and his chest was rubbing on hers. He started a slow pumping motion while kissing her throat.

The next few minutes were pure bliss for Barbara. Walt met every breathy "Harder" and moaned "Faster" with enthusiasm. He kissed everywhere he could reach and was running his hands from her chest to her thighs. A second orgasm was building, and it made her arch her back, allowing him to rub her spine, making her pant in pleasure.

"W-AH-Walt?" she gasped.

"Yes, Barbara?" he asked with an evil grin.

'I'm clooooo-AH I'm close. A-are you close?" She tried reaching for one of his horns, but he moved his head out of her reach. She growled in frustration, and his grin got bigger.

He lifted her hips to a new angle and moved a hand so that his thumb was on her clit and she went wild. She warped legs and arms around him, not wanting him to stop or move away. She twisted her hands in his hair and was probably moaning too loud in his ear, but she didn't care at this point.

She finally tipped over the edge, every muscle clenching around Walt, moaning his name. He gently held her, hand in her hair, cooing in her ear, rubbing his forehead on hers.

When she regained her wits, she realized he was staring at her with a look of reverence. She brought him closer for a kiss, and he moaned. He was still buried inside her, still hard. She gave her muscles that surrounded him a squeeze, and he groaned. He put a hand on her hip and started to pull out, but she encircled her legs around him to keep him from moving.

He could break her hold on him if he wanted, but he paused. "Barbara, as much as I wish to resume, I don't want to _hurt_ you." There was something in his voice, a slight whine that Barbara wanted to soothe.

"I'm not made of glass, Walt," she said. "I want to make you feel good, just like you made me feel good. Besides," she brought her lips closer to his ear, "I want to feel you cum inside me," she confessed in a husky whisper. It got the reaction she wanted as his cock twitched inside her, and he shuddered.

He growled and started to pull out again, but before she could protest, he lifted her so that he could turn her over to her hand and knees. He gently pushed himself back inside her completely before licking her back, from left hip to right shoulder. Barbara moaned and pushed back into him. He paused to lean into her ear, and she rubbed his cheek with her hand. "Are you certain?" he asked breathlessly.

She nodded, but also gave a gasping "Yes."

He started to thrust, rough, and without a set pattern. He grunted and groaned with each thrust, which turned into a keening noise. She was trying to keep her hips still and could feel the heat of another orgasm building between her legs, but she doubted very much that he would last long either to let her finish for the third time.

She ran her hand along his jaw up to a horn. He slowed his hips a little, probably thinking she was about to grab the horn to make him stop, but she brushed it lightly with her fingertips instead. That made his arms give out, and he went down on his forearms, making her lower her torso as well.

He was panting in her ear, breath hot on her neck. "B-barbara," he hissed, "I'm clooooOOOse, I'm close."

"It's alright," she cooed "I meant, AH, meant it. I wanna feel you cum, MMM, W-Walt."

He hissed again and then bit her shoulder, the hardest yet, and then grabbed her hips and went still. He trembled as he finished, and Barbara could feel each hot drop as it poured into her. She moaned and stayed still for him. He gave a small roll of his hips, and they both shuddered.

After what felt like an eternity, he let go of her shoulder and gave it a soft kiss, like an apology. "You ok?" he asked. She couldn't even respond; she could only nod weakly.

He rolled to his side with a grunt, tucking her next to him. They laid like that for a few minutes, breathing slowing down until they were no longer panting. She shivered, and he grabbed a fur, wrapping them in warmth.

He put a hand on her hip and gently removed a quickly softening cock out of her. She grimaced at the wetness but didn't complain. She had asked him to do it, after all. She was sore but in a good way.

She turned over to wrap her arms around him. She pulled his head down so she could bump her forehead to his. "Walt?"

"Hmmm?" he responded, eyes closed.

"What is a good word to replace 'wonderful?'" she asked.

"What do I look like, a walking thesaurus?" he joked.

"You're right, that's Blinky's job," she replied, burrowing closer to him. "Whatever word he chooses, that's better than wonderful, that is the word I will use for this evening."

He scoffed. "Please love, don't mention Blinkous in the bedroom again," he quipped, and she laughed. Unfortunately, the laugh turned into a yawn.

"So wonderful, you're yawning," Walt said, and the yawn turned back into a laugh. "Sorry," she said.

"It's alright, you're knackered," he said, moving her hair off her forehead to kiss it. "I would expect you to be after a marvelous evening."

"Oh, now you're a thesaurus."

"Fantastic, divine, tremendous, brilliant, miraculous, magnificent, phenomenal, _peachy_..." he continued, grinning evilly, holding up one finger like in a lecture. She grabbed a pillow and lightly held it over his face. "Do you not want me to proceed, Barbara?" came a muffled question, and she smiled.

She removed the pillow and kissed him before the word list could resume. He kissed back moaning. "Please, Barbara, your Nauna's Chosen, I aim to gratify."

"Hmmm," she laid down, yawning again. "Thank you, Walt," she murmured.

"Anything for you, Barbara," he softly replied, and she let sleep take her.


	8. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The changeling everyone has been looking for appears and gives his side of the story.

_Curiosity killed the cat_.

It was a saying that NotEnrique had been chanting to himself for several hours now. He shouldn't go look in at Bossman and the Doc, but something was nagging at him. He guessed how it turned out. The Bossman's reaction to Barbara's costume and Barbara's reaction to Strickler winning the trial were all he needed to see to assume that they had spent the evening bumping uglies. But he wanted to see for himself. Needed to _know_, not just guess.

_Curiosity killed the cat_.

Before Barbara showed up, NotEnrique pulled a disappearing act. He knew that once Blinky and Strickler saw the mark on the Doc's hand that he would number one on the Most Wanted list. Watching the other changelings try to find him was fun. He often hated being so small, but it had served him well that night. When the trails started, he was able to hitch a ride on a mountain troll that was acting as a guard, so he had a front-row seat to everything. Alzurr the Asshole, Aaarrrgghh!! and the Krubera broad, Nomura and Strickler getting their arses handed to them, and then Bossman pulling the W at the last minute. 

_Curiosity killed the cat._

Happening below the Chosen's nests was an after-party that was crazier and wilder than anything else that had happened that week. He could just sneak out, and no one would be the wiser. He would lay low in Arcadia for a few weeks to wait for the heat die down, and he could show up one day, looking pitiful, and all would be forgiven. Why he was just having a laugh, no one was hurt, look at all the babies you two are taking care of. Foolproof really.

_Curiosity killed the cat_.

But then he wouldn't _know_. He had seen those two tap dancing around each other since the Battle of Eternal Night, and he was sure they would have gotten together eventually. But what fun would that have been? No, this was better, show them how much they meant to each other. Get over the angst quicker. Bossman had gone through bloody hell to win her hand, how could the Doc resist that?

_Curiosity killed the cat_.

All he had to do was stick his head in real quick. If they were asleep, they wouldn't even know that he was there. As long as they didn't see him, it would be alright. In and out, easy peasy. He just needed to _know_. Confirm with his own eyes.

_Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought him back_.

NotEnrique found himself climbing up the chain that held up the nest that the Doc and Bossman had been tossed into. It looked like the kind of chain that would be on a freight ship holding its anchor, each link as big as him. It took him well over an hour to climb upwards, but the trolls below were so distracted by their celebration that no one saw him. Blinky was surrounded by half a dozen female trolls, all of them wanting to hear about his involvement with the Battle of Eternal Night.

"Well, Tobias had grabbed Master Jim from certain death in the swirling clouds and yelled 'Gotcha!'. Morgana asked what that was, so I inform her that it is both a colloquialism and a contraction," he explained.

"Then what did you do?" one female asked as she stroked one of his ears. "Well, I, um, called her a troglodyte and threw two Dwärkstones at her," he said, all six eyes glazing over slightly as the females cooed and giggled at his story.

Even Nomura, who may have exaggerated her injury to get Walt to finish the Gauntlet faster, was getting approached by several males who wanted to see if she wanted to join them for the evening.

"Let's see," she said, rubbing her chin and looking them over. "You called me impure three times this week." His face fell. "You tried to knock me over and blame it on the crowd." The second one looked at his feet in shame. "And you..." The third one looked hopeful. "You are too ugly." And with that, she left to get some glug, laughing, as the three males looked on in rejection.

NotEnrique was almost to the top when he passed by Aaarrrgghh!! 's nest and looked into it. NotEnrique saw that the grey troll had his head on Qume's lap. The Krubera queen-in-waiting, who had removed her decorations, was teasing him by tickling his nose with a sock. He was trying to playfully snap at it while she kept it just out of his reach. He finally snagged it and slurped it up, and the two chuckled and bumped foreheads. It was a sweet display, but they were not the couple NotEnrique was trying to spy on.

NotEnrique finally made it to the point that he could hop to the nest. He waited as the nest swung slightly to see if there was any reaction from the inside. After several moments of quiet, he peeked into the opening. The sight made him leer. Barbara and Strickler were covered in furs, sleeping, but he could see enough skin to know that their clothes were off. They were on their sides facing each other, with Strickler having one arm over Barbara in a light embrace. NotEnrique wanted to hoot and holler at the sight of his plan working like he knew it would, but allowed himself only to chuckle.

He was about to turn around and jump back to the chain, make his way back to the ground, maybe get some glug before he left, when he saw the bottles across the nest. He squinted at the labels and hummed in delight. Aphrodisiacs. Now there was something the NotEnrique found appealing. If the couple wasn't going to use them, maybe he could have one for himself. Never knew when a potion like that would come in handy. One issue, though.

He would have to cross the nest to get them.

He decided he would crawl past Barbara. She was probably the heavier sleeper of the two, and that way, NotEnrique could keep an eye on Strickler. He slowly made his way behind her, pausing every few feet to make sure the two lovers were still fast asleep. The Doc let out a soft snore, and he froze. Strickler moved his arm from her shoulder to her hip in response, and Barbara murmured in her sleep. NotEnrique kept himself as still as possible, hoping the larger changeling couldn't hear his pounding heart. After what felt like an eternity, he listened to both of them breathing deeply again, and NotEnrique quietly rushed the last few feet to his prize.

He was checking out a blue bottle, debating which one he wanted, (or hell, maybe he would take them all) when his leg was suddenly jerked behind him. He froze and slowly turned until he was looking at where Strickler and Barbara lie. Strickler was awake and glaring at him, eyes the brightest NotEnrique had ever seen them, holding onto a leg with his claws digging into the skin. Stickler let out a deep rumble as his eyes narrowed in rage.

NotEnrique tried letting his ears go back and wear a small smile, but before he could open his mouth to explain, he was being dragged out of the nest. Somehow he didn't cry out until they were airborne, and for a heart-stopping minute, NotEnrique was sure Strickler was going to drop him. He flew a short distance, however, and then roughly dumped NotEnrique onto a ledge on the cave wall.

NotEnrique fought the urge to open his eyes once he was solid ground. If he was going to die, a naked Bossman was not what he wanted to be his last mental image. But when he almost fell off the edge, he risked opening his eyes. Lucky for him, Strickler had grabbed a fur and was tying it around his waist. Unlucky for him, Strickler had a knife.

"How did ya sneak that into-" NotEnrique started, but when he realized that Strickler had just been stark naked a moment ago, he stopped the question. "Ya know what, I don't want ta know."

"Do you know who that is?" Strickler asked, his voice tight and low. NotEnrique had a feeling that answering the question wrong could result in a worse punishment than what he was already going to get, but he couldn't for the life of him think what the right answer was. "Ehhhhh, the Doc?" he asked.

"That is the Trollhunter's mother," explained Strickler, testing the tip of the blade with a finger until a drop of blood appeared. Like he didn't know that the knife could slice through stone skin like butter. "Morgana and Gunmar were not the only beings in this world that the Trollhunter may clash with. She will always have a target on her back. She will always be a means to get to Jim." Strickler rubbed at the blood until the small cut stopped bleeding, looking at his finger and not at NotEnrique. When he did look at the smaller changeling, it was with such rage that NotEnrique felt like the glare burned him. "So why, in the Pale Lady's name, did you think it was a good idea to have her be a CHOSEN at Nauna's festival?!?"

Strickler threw the knife, and NotEnrique yelped and dodged it. It buried itself in the stone while NotEnrique scrambled behind a rock that didn't cover him completely. He had to think fast before this got ugly. "I did it for you!" he yelled.

Strickler grabbed the knife and, with a grunt, pulled it from the stone. "You bloody git, Aaarrrgghh!! was almost her champion and not me," explained Strickler as he grabbed for NotEnrique. NotEnrique evaded the first grab but was not so lucky with the next one, and he howled while Strickler picked him up by the scruff. He didn't complain; he doubted Strickler gave a shit about the sensitive part of his neck.

"We both know ya wouldn't let anyone else run that Gauntlet for her!" NotEnrique yelled at the larger changeling, and then he had to bite his tongue not to laugh at Strickler's look of shock. Strickler recovered quickly, growled, and held the knife to NotEnrique's throat. NotEnrique knew he had one shot at saving his skin, so he took a deep breath and continued. 

"Ya love her, anyone with two brain cells could see it. But you didn't feel like ya deserved to be in her life, with what happened with Angor Rot. So you have been avoidin' her. And she missed ya but didn't want to rush ya. You two would have gotten together eventually, but I figured ya needed a push to get over your drama." NotEnrique closed his eyes while he explained himself, but cracked an eye open when he didn't feel the knife go into his throat. Strickler was still glaring at him but not with the rage he had before.

"So you devised this plan, like some bad sitcom, to get us to spend the night together?" asked Strickler. "We were going to spend the night together anyway. You didn't need to make her one of the Chosen for your enjoyment."

"Well, yeah, I did," NotEnrique said, wincing when the blade cut into the tender skin of his throat. "I mean, I didn't do it for my enjoyment! I needed to make her a Chosen so she could see how much ya cared for her!"

Strickler growled. "I don't like anyone prying into my private life." He dropped the knife so that he could choke NotEnrique instead.

NotEnrique wheezed as his throat was squeezed, but he was able to gasp out a few words. "Noted Boss."

Strickler dropped him, and NotEnrique spent a few moments coughing. Strickler retrieved the knife and waited for him to catch his breath. "I'm showing mercy this time, considering you are one of the few changelings left, but let it be known that if you pull a stunt like this again, I'm going to eviscerate you." Strickler went back to inspecting the blade. "Barbara and Nomura may not extend the courtesy, however."

"Alright, alright," griped NotEnrique. He rubbed his throat. "Can I ask one thing though?"

Strickler raised an eye ridge. "Do you really think you are in a position to be asking questions?"

NotEnrique leered and continued anyway. "Did ya at least last ten times longer?" he asked. He got in just a few seconds of howling laughing before the knife was thrown at him again, burying itself in the stone near his crotch. He screeched and ran off, Walt growling in his direction.

"Fucking pillock," he muttered darkly to himself, and he turned and flew back to the nest.

Walt tried to be gentle, getting back into the nest. He was not going to disturb Barbara by going back to lie beside her, but she surprised him by reaching behind her with one hand. He smiled and took her hand, lying behind her and tucking himself in. Her head was beneath his chin, back fully pressed into his chest, and one of his knees was between her legs.

He took a deep breath and tried to burn the moment into his memory. Her scent, the feel of her skin against his, the way her hair looked like fire even in the low light. She sighed and stretched. As much as the day had been a difficult one, he didn't want this moment to end, and he vowed that he would not be idiotic enough to let her go ever again.

"Does NotEnrique still have all his limbs?" she asked in a sleepy voice. He chuckled. "For now," he murmured. "I will let the Chosen decide his fate." She snorted and laughed.

They stayed like that for a while, just enjoying the feel of each other when she let out a hiss of pain. He was worried that he had hurt her with a talon, but she lifted her right hand so that they both could look at it. The symbol was glowing a soft blue. "What does that mean? Am I being cursed?" Barbara asked. If what they did didn't constitute spending the night together, Walt was at a loss of what more they could have possibly done. He rubbed her palm with a thumb. "I don't know," he said.

She suddenly laughed, and he lifted his head to look at her in wonder. She saw the look at his face and laughed again. "I finally see why the symbol seems familiar. Ever teach sex ed?"

"Never had the pleasure. Coach Lawerence always tackled that particular chore," he said, not getting her line of thought. "Imagine him drawing a uterus," she explained, and suddenly he saw it. The upside W with small circles was a uterus with fallopian tubes and ovaries, in simple, non-realistic detail that had probably been drawn by teachers across the world in front of confused students. The symbol for Nauna was the thing that made females able to reproduce. It was so simple it was genius.

The symbol continued glowing, but before Walt began to panic, it started to flake off of her skin, the ink flying away like ashes in the wind. They both stared at the sight in silence, watching as the pieces floated upwards. They started to disappear before they reached the top of the white tent. When the last light winked out, Barbar let out a breath that she was holding. "What does that mean?" she asked.

"Your obligation is over," he said, and he almost hated himself when he continued. "If you wish to leave, now you are free to." He played it like a joke, but part of him braced for her to do just that, thanks Walt for the lovely evening, but I just remembered what a monster you are, I must be going, never contact me again.

"No, I think I'm good where I am," she said lightly and wiggled against him to get comfortable. Walt felt something inside of him relax, and he kissed the top of her head gently.

"I love you, Barbara Lake." It was out of his mouth before he thought about it, but really, if he couldn't say it now, after everything that happened today, well. He probably could never say it. Part of him tighten again, and he wondered briefly if that part would ever go away. Would the fear of rejection ever really fade.

"I love you, Waltolemew Stricklander," she responded.

"Please, my friends call me Walt." And she laughed at that, and they kissed, and Walt prayed to any gods that were listening that this would never end, that he would not lose this woman.

Nauna smiled. This couple had been a challenge, but she was nothing but patient when it came to getting the stubborn ones together. She drew away to give them some privacy. Changelings had always held a special place in her heart. She couldn't abide by what happened to them as whelps and wanted to make it up to them now. She wanted them to be loved for the rest of their lives.

She moved through the crowd celebrating below. She cheered with them, danced with them, drank with them, sang with them, ate with them. Blinky was right, they were alive, and they would revel in everything that meant being alive.

They would dance. They would drink. They would sing. They would eat.

They would love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy crap, if you have made it all the way here, thank you for the love and support guys. Hopefully, we will have Wizards soon and I hope it is everything that we hope for and more.

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is born from the second season of 3Below, seeing Barbara, Walt, and Aaarrrgghh!! meeting in a restaurant without Toby and then not seeing Aaarrrgghh!! for the next couple of episodes. I felt like there must have been something happening behind the scenes, something that the trolls didn't want to share with the kids.


End file.
